Yonge & Eg area condo impasse resolved

By

-

2:43 pm

Developer Orchard View Holdings has struck a settlement with the Avenue Road Eglinton Community Association (ARECA) and the Stanley Knowles Housing Co-operative on the condo slated for the corner of Orchard View Boulevard and Duplex Avenue. The deal came out of a hearing at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) last month, shortly after the groups rejected a $100,000 offer to walk away from their appeal.

At issue in the development plans, as approved by city council and subsequently appealed to the OMB, was the appropriateness of the 20-storey height and the transition to the adjacent low-rise neighbourhood, as well as how the development (which would have been built 3.6 metres from the property line) would affect the light and view for Stanley Knowles residents.

The settlement was reached and accepted by the provincial appeal board on the second day of the hearing. City council will be required to ratify the bylaw amendment that was agreed upon in the settlement.

While the details of the settlement are still confidential at this stage, Patrick Smyth, a member of ARECA, provided the following statement: “Changes and corrections were made to the bylaw relating to the NEON development. Based on those changes, it was no longer necessary for Stanley Knowles or ARECA to continue our appeal.”

He said the group did not challenge the development believing it could be stopped. Rather, it sought to change the configuration of the building as well as draw attention to some of what he described as inequities in what is meant to be a public process.

“ARECA was right to challenge this development application. It’s what community associations must do if they claim to represent their constituencies,” Smyth wrote. “In this case it paid off.”

Local councillor Karen Stintz was away on vacation and not available to comment. Adam Brown, the lawyer representing Orchard View Holdings, was also unreachable prior to press time.

The Flip Side

By

-

2:43 pm

0

In the Harmandayan household, real estate is a family tradition. Greg Harmandayan’s father entered the construction business when he was just 14. Now Harmandayan, a new father himself, has decided to try his hand at the home-flipping business. And it all started when he spied an old home in the Annex.

“I just remember walking in and there was that rotunda — you can’t find a rotunda anywhere in the city these days,” the local resident recalls. “The price was right, and I knew that if you could see Casa Loma from outside you’re in good shape.”

In early 2007, with the support of his wife, Corina, Harmandayan made an offer and bought the place for $780,000. He was going to try renovating it and putting it back on the market. “The worst-case scenario, I knew I would end up living in it. I wanted to make sure the house would be somewhere where you could grow a family. It needed to be absolutely perfect,” he says of the home at 175 Spadina Rd.

In the end, Harmandayan had to gut a lot of the house. He removed stairs and added an extension onto the back. Along the way, he also found some surprises, such as the coal chute that he uncovered from 1910. And a secret room in the basement: “We had no idea. We didn’t uncover it until we knocked some brick down.”

In 2008, Harmandayan hammered his last nail. The next step was to sell the place. When the recession hit, however, Harmandayan changed his mind. He rented out the property to a professor and decided to wait out the slump.

This past June, he decided he had waited enough. He co-ordinated with his broker, Debi Stone, and put the place on the market for $1.5 million — double what he originally paid. And while waiting for the perfect family to make an offer, he’s also scouting out his next project.
“Seeing something in its original state and then seeing the end result — it’s the best reward.”

More panache in Moore Park

This revitalized midtown marvel is on a quiet dead-end street and only a short walk away from shops, restaurants, schools and parks.

Listing price: $2,980,000
Bought by owners in 2009
Address: 160 Heath St. E.
Intersection: Mount Pleasant and St. Clair
Size: 25 x 97 feet
Agency: Keller Williams Real Estate
Special features Gutted and renovated four-bedroom home includes heated flooring, a nanny suite that includes a separate entrance, and a gourmet kitchen.

Modern times at York Mills find

This sleek beauty was renovated in 2008 and has a gamut of added luxuries, such as a home theatre and maple and porcelain flooring.

Listing price: $1,698,000
Bought by owners in 2007
Address: 5 Sulgrave Cres.
Intersection: York Mills and Bayview
Size: 70 x 146 feet
Agency: Re/Max Realtron Realty
Special features Contemporary look, basement apartment, custom kitchen with Italian cabinetry, home theatre, saltwater pool within a garden oasis, walking distance to schools.

North York place has added taste

This renovated rarity is not only a find, but a find with earning potential — the finished basement has a separate entrance and new Berber carpet.

Listing price: $1,169,000
Bought by owners in 2009
Address: 585 Old Orchard Grove
Intersection: Bathurst and Lawrence
Size: 50 x 150 feet
Agency: Adenat Real Estate Ltd.
Special features Finished basement, renovated kitchen and bathrooms, hardwood flooring, new carpet, four bedrooms and walking distance to shopping, library, transit and synagogues.

A refreshing feel in Richmond Hill

This classy casa is all about the details, such as the stone flooring and the claw-footed tub in the bathroom, plus it’s only a walk away from beautiful Mill Pond.

Listing price: $1,048,000
Bought by owners in 2008
Address: 191 Mill St.
Intersection: Yonge and Major Mackenzie
Size: 60 x 153 feet
Agency: Re/Max Ultimate Realty Inc.
Special features Upgraded top to bottom, new custom kitchen with artisan limestone flooring, crown moulding, ensuite master bedroom, spa-inspired bathroom.

Backing a winner

By

-

2:43 pm

0

My child has to lug this huge backpack to school. What does that do to his back?
There is no evidence in itself that it makes a difference to your back, no evidence in terms of degeneration. If the backpack is properly adjusted, shoulder straps, chest strap, waist strap, then 30 to 40 pounds should be easy. If it is a loose cloth job, no chest or waist straps, then not much more than about 20.

When is it time to go see a doctor about back pain?
The general rule is, if you have any type of injury, including back, lasting more than six weeks, it is usually not good. If you look at it the other way, 90 per cent of injuries that get better do so in about six weeks. Past that, potentially, that’s trouble.

What is the best home remedy for a sore back?
Well, two things: Number one, the single best treatment for your back is abdominal exercise. All scientific evidence is conclusive that core exercise, such as plank, is the single best thing to do for backs. The second thing is to avoid reinjuring it. Keep moving, but don’t do things like those that caused the injury.

And what should you definitely not do?
The worst treatment is bed rest. The muscles become less strong, the back stiffens up, and your rehabilitation could be compromised.

How bad is sitting at my desk all day?
Depends if they are paying you or not. Sitting is not a good position for your back in general. The key is ergonomic position of workspace, proper back support in the chair.… Get up and stretch and walk around every hour.

Do you buy into this whole chiropractics thing?
Studies have shown that chiropractic treatment early in back pain does help speed up the resolution, but it has not proven to be helpful in chronic long-term lower back pain.

What sports are most commonly associated with serious back issues?
It depends on the age group. In younger people, under 30, it is more likely to be contact sports: hockey, football, rugby. In the middle-aged, 30 to about 50, it involves any high torque or twisting sport — tennis, squash or golf. The older group, just from anything, bending down to do some gardening, a sudden twist, and they involve more degenerative changes.

Is it true that taller people are more susceptible to back injuries?
No, but dwarves are, only because they are born with abnormal spines.

What about yoga?
Yoga is very good, and the reason is that one of the key principles is don’t do anything that hurts. You extend to the point where it just starts to ache.

Does back pain run in the family?
Back pain is common, and there are often family members with it. It is the same with glasses, but it doesn’t mean it runs in the family. There doesn’t appear to be any genetic link to back pain.

Is there a way to regenerate a degenerated disc, such as through a supplement like glucosamine?
At this point in time there is no known way of doing that. There are surgical techniques for replacing discs, like a hip replacement, which are still regarded as somewhat experimental. People are also working on seeing if they can inject stem cells, cells that produce all the different cells in the body. Stem cells could produce disc material, and that could be injected and encouraged to produce new disc material. It has been done in the lab, but not in people yet — there is future potential.

Long-distance running is very popular, but how do I know whether or not my back is strong enough to handle it?
Brilliant question. Nobody knows, and it is a controversial issue. Some people say, If you’re constantly running, there is no doubt a lot of stress on the back. When you run, each step coming down is three to five times your body weight going through your leg. When runners get older, it is common to have back pain, but also common for everybody to have back pain. Some sports have a much higher rate of disc degeneration … but for running, nobody knows the answer.

Thornhill lot up for sale in heritage district

By

-

2:43 pm

0

Conservation District is being marketed as an “excellent redevelopment opportunity,” in a CB Richard Ellis Real Estate (CBRE) advertisement. But a local councillor says anyone who bought the lot with such plans in mind might be faced with a number of restrictions and challenges. Located on the northeast corner of Yonge Street and John Street, it is currently occupied by a Scotiabank and Tim Hortons.

Coun. Valerie Burke said the plaza, as it stands, is a “sea of asphalt.” If new owners came along and decided to redevelop, she said, they would need to abide by the zoning laws of the Thornhill Heritage Committee.

This can be a lengthy process, according to Dave Jordon, president of the Thornhill Conservation District Ratepayers Association.

“The heritage committee can be very frustrating,” Jordon said. “Anyone that has gone through the process leaves with a bad taste in their mouth. I support the district. I just think their current plan can be improved, the process can be more user-friendly.”

Although it was advertised as a redevelopment site, a CBRE spokesperson said, “What will be happening in that space is nothing more than what’s already there, but a number of offers will be coming in at the end of the month.”

Local pond to undergo massive restoration

By

-

2:43 pm

0

Thornhill’s only storm water management pond, at Bayview Avenue and John Street, is set to be restored by the Town of Markham, but residents fear the situation will get worse before it gets better.

The pond, which is located behind Glynnwood Retirement Residence, has been a mark of natural beauty for the residents. But in recent years, it has fallen into disrepair, threatening to destroy the habitat of local wildlife, including a great blue heron.

“The water isn’t able to absorb like it used to,” said Cathy Metson, spokesperson for Glynnwood. “The heavy rains, debris and excess water and sediment have eroded the banks of the pond.”

Being the only storm water management pond in the Town of Markham is part of the problem, Coun. Valerie Burke said. According to Burke, residents wanted the pond restored years ago, but because there are so many players involved, the process was delayed.

“It’s more complicated. You’ve got Glynnwood, Shouldice Hospital, York Region and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) involved,” she said. “We could have done it this year, but it would have been financially irresponsible, the parking structure still needs to be evaluated to see if it can handle the equipment.”

Residents of Glynnwood, who have been waiting years for the town to take action, are skeptical that the plans will restore the pond.

“They’ve said they’re going to do it for years, and they intend to start next spring, and we hope they do. It’s going to get worse and noisy and dirty,” said Thelma “Tib” Green, who has lived in the retirement home for five years.

“We’re not allowed to walk around it any more. It’s not the same. It was certainly much nicer than it is now, with lots of wildlife around, lots of leaves and a blue heron,” she said. “The geese were smart enough to move to another pond.”

But Burke said TRCA only allows a small window in the summer for construction. Since her father is a resident of Glynnwood, she knows how important the pond is to residents.

“We’re going to dredge the pond and put gabion walls where it erodes more heavily,” she said. “It’ll improve the aesthetics and health of the pond, but it can’t happen overnight.” Construction is set to begin in July 2012.

Shapero leaves politics to support local farms

By

-

2:43 pm

0

Thornhill’s former councillor Erin Shapero recently signed on as director of institutional relations at Local Food Plus, continuing her fight for sustainable food and farmland protection. “I wanted to play a more direct role in supporting farmers.… It’s important to work with farmers because, through development, we’re losing prime farmland,” Shapero said.

As part of her new role at Local Food Plus, the national frontrunners in sustainable food procurement. Shapero has worked with municipal and provincial governments, as well as the University of Toronto, to make the transition to sustainable food sourcing. According to Shapero, more than 25 percent of the town of Markham’s food comes from local sustainable farming, making it a leader among Canadian municipalities.

Her decision to leave politics came in 2010, when her two-year battle to establish a food belt in Markham lost by just one vote. “It made me see how fragile the farm system is.… It really hit home for me, and I felt my energies were needed to help redefine the food system,” Shapero recalled. As for a return to politics, she said, “Politics is in my bloodstream. I’ll go where I can make the most change, so I would never say never.”

Councillor looks into all-year skiing at Earl Bales

By

-

2:43 pm

0

The use of a new synthetic material that mimics snow and allows for year-round skiing is currently being investigated at Earl Bales Park. The material, when secured to a framing on the hill, would make skiing in the spring and summer months a possibility, and it would remain fixed to the hill during the ski season under layers of snow.

Ward 10 councillor James Pasternak is currently in talks with an undisclosed private company over the plans and says a full consultation process would need to be undertaken with input from various community groups before anything goes ahead.

“We want to see how this has worked in other jurisdictions and make sure it’s successful there before proceeding,” he said. “We’re not just going to cover those hills overnight in synthetic material. It’s going to be a slow go.

“We have a great wealth of parks in Ward 10, and if there’s an opportunity to offer ski and snowboarding all year round, I think it’s worth exploring,” he said.

Pasternak added that the city would likely be looking at entering a multi-year licensing deal that would have the company bear the risk and cost of installation. He does not believe the prices of daily and season snow passes would rise if the plan is to go ahead.

President of the North York Alpine Racing Club, Clive Kessel, believes the venture could be worth looking into, given the possible benefit for beginner skiers.

“Right now we do dry land training at Earl Bales in the community centre and we start in October,” he said. “To have the kids onto snow [earlier in the year] with their skis would be an opportunity.”

“It may be something that we could integrate into our program.

Hate crime raises concerns at local synagogue

By

-

2:43 pm

0

In the wake of a recent hate crime, members of a North York synagogue and its Hebrew academy are nervous.

Last month, a facility manager came across graffiti — a red swastika and the phrase, “Islam will rule” — scrawled across an outside wall of the Robbins Hebrew Academy, which is part of the Beth Tikvah Synagogue.

Though the graffiti was removed the next day, concern still lingers at the facility. “The combination of the swastika and the pro-Islamic message is confusing,” said Rabbi Jarrod Grover, of the synagogue. “They’ve led to a lot of speculation as to who is and who isn’t responsible.”

But he said the community is largely coping well.

“I think people are upset,” he said. “But they are united in their concern and in their sense that we’ll overcome this, and we’re not going anywhere. This is our home.”

He said the section of Bayview Avenue — near Finch Avenue —that houses the synagogue is a unique stretch, home to many different places of worship that usually coexist peacefully.

“You have a mosque, a Buddhist temple, churches of every stripe and denomination. It’s very unique, and we’ve all gotten along very well together. No matter which institution is a victim of this [crime], we’re all concerned.”

According to a recently released report done by the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism, antisemitic incidents are on the rise in the country and action is needed.

Const. Tony Vella, spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service, said the investigation is still ongoing.

“The hate crime unit is investigating,” he said. “But at this point, we have no leads.”

Deal in the works for controversial Leaside site

By

-

2:42 pm

0

Toronto City Council recently voted to accept a settlement offer on plans to redevelop the old Brennan Pontiac dealership into a two-storey retail space. Local councillor Jaye Robinson amended the motion to say that if the city could not agree with the developer on the details of the site plan city staff would be directed to attend the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing next month. “If indeed it [the settlement] was approved — and it was that day — there was a safety net for residents,” she said. “It’s really not a done deal.”

If accepted by the appeal board, the settlement would see the building’s lot coverage, floor area and parking spaces reduced. Setbacks would be increased and some of the density would be shifted to the ground floor.

Michael Goldberg, a lawyer for the developer, said the hope is to settle with everyone. “There was discussion amongst city staff, with the project team, and there were compromises of various sorts made to address comments from the city staff,” he said.

Ben Daube, president of the Sherwood Park Residents’ Association, said his group has three minor suggestions it would like to see incorporated into the plans.

“If the applicant can agree to those … then we are all going to be able to save ourselves a bunch of money,” he said.

Daube couldn’t get into specifics because discussions between parties are subject to confidentiality at this stage. But, he reiterated concerns about traffic as well as the compatibility of building a big box–like store near an established neighbourhood.

In the meantime, Robinson said the city is undertaking a traffic study, so there is a measure of what the flow is like before any development occurs. Should it get approved, she intends to ensure the strictest of parking and traffic enforcement in the area.

Former Maple Leaf to call Hogg’s Hollow home

By

-

2:42 pm

0

Darcy Tucker, a former Toronto Maple Leafs fan favourite, will be moving into the Hogg’s Hollow neighbourhood, said local real estate agent Carole Hall, though she would not disclose any details about the home he purchased, such as the selling price.

“It’s a nice family neighbourhood and he has three children,” Hall said of the area’s appeal to Tucker.

Originally from Alberta, Tucker began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens and went on to play for Tampa Bay, Toronto and Colorado. He was also known as one of the Maple Leafs’ scrappier players.

Last year, after enjoying a 15-year career in the NHL, he announced his retirement from professional hockey.

Over the span of 14 seasons, he scored more than 200 goals and more than 200 assists and racked up more than 1,400 minutes in the penalty box.

These days, Tucker is passing the puck to young and up-and-coming players in his new role as a hockey agent.

Heart Park project to be completed next month

By

-

2:42 pm

0

After five years, and a handful of delays, the boarding is up and the Post City Magazines-led Heart Park project is expected to be completed next month.

About a year ago, the transfer of the Toronto Transit Commission-owned land — located at the corner of Avenue Road and Otter Crescent — stalled while the city awaited a contractor’s environmental report. The land was eventually transferred in November. Plans to complete the park by Aug. 31 of this year got delayed by watermain construction on Avenue Road.

Alice Wong, a senior project coordinator with the city’s parks, forestry and recreation division, said work cannot begin on the curbs and sidewalks until the contractor doing the watermain work is out of the area.

The arrangement now is to start working on the inside of the park first, and then do the outside when the contractor leaves.

Kit Kleiser, a local resident who is actively involved in the project, is extremely happy to see the park coming to life, and so are her neighbours.

“They’re so excited, I’m getting a lot of people knocking on my door,” she said. “It’s a real passion for all of us because we’ve lived in the neighbourhood for many, many years.”

Once completed, the heart-shaped park will be a low-maintenance and environmentally-friendly fixture, Kleiser said. Features will include an all-season flower garden as well as coniferous and deciduous trees.

Right now, the construction of the park is noisy, but she said the end result will be worth it. At one point before the project got underway, people were living in the bathroom of the old bus station, Kleiser explained. The walls were frequently defaced with graffiti and the windows were often shattered.

“People were parking illegally there, so it was becoming quite a hazard with children and if you’re walking your dogs,” she said.

Former Summerhill resident in conflict?

By

-

2:42 pm

0

Pamela Wallin has recently come under fire on Parliament Hill. The former broadcaster and local resident, now a Conservative senator, sits on the board of Oilsands Quest Inc. After she helped vote down a climate change bill previously passed by the House of Commons, critics have cast doubt on the Senate’s code of ethics and are asking why Wallin wasn’t forced to declare a conflict of interest.

“The climate change legislation was passed by the House of Commons, by people who were elected by Canadians,” said MP Charlie Adler, NDP ethics critic. “Here’s a woman who sits on the board of a major oil sands company who helped kill that legislation because she said it was a nuisance.”

Canadians, as well, have begun to demand accountability. The recently created Facebook group Canadians Demanding the Resignation of Senator Pamela Wallin has nearly 300 members, including climatologist Paul Beckwith. He said he would either like to see her give up directorship or resign from the Senate: “Here she is on the board of directors, getting paid to explore the oil sands further. She can’t be impartial.” Wallin was not available for comment.