[un hi ber nate] verb •
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1 to laugh in the face of snow with Symmetrical Full-Time AWD. 2 to look forward to the forecast with X-MODE®. 3 to adventure further with award-winning safety.
welcome to uncommon ™
winter confidence Volume 53 No. 5
BEACHMETRO.COM
A
April 30, 2024
“Our family helping your family”
Ready for the Notre Dame Dance Off
Meeting slated on plan for 35-storey building at Woodbine/Danforth By Amarachi Amadike, Journalism Initiative Reporter
PHOTO: JESSICA SHACKLETON
Members of the Notre Dame Catholic High School dance team Avidity prepare for last Friday night’s Dance Off at the Malvern Avenue school. Teams from across the Toronto Catholic District School Board took part in the competition which drew a huge crowd of spectators. For more photos from this year’s Notre Dame Dance Off, please see Page 17.
Concerns over unleashed dogs a continuing issue in the Beach By Alan Shackleton
WITH THE arrival of spring, the return of warmer weather in the Beach is accompanied by concerns regarding off-leash dogs along the waterfront. “Unfortunately, concerns about off-leash dogs is one issue that keeps cropping up year after year,” said Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford late last week in response to questions from Beach Metro Community News. “Despite all the signage, numerous city-run public education campaigns, and reminders in my bi-weekly email newsletter, some people continue to flout the rules,” he said. A City of Toronto bylaw bans unleashed dogs from Woodbine Beach all the way eastward to Balmy Beach – except in specifically designate off-leash areas – from April 1 to Oct. 31. Yet the bylaw is routinely ignored and unleashed dogs can be seen at all hours of the day on the
beaches. Recently, a local resident sent a letter to Beach Metro Community News and a number of Toronto politicians including Bradford and Mayor Olivia Chow on his concerns regarding the unleashed dogs. In particular, the resident pointed out that some dog owners are not only letting their pets run free but encouraging them to hunt and scare birds living in the natural area at the west end of Woodbine Beach. The letter-writer, who did not want to be identified due to run-ins he has had in the past with some owners of unleashed dogs, said the bylaw is consistently being ignored based what he has seen so far this spring in the area. “Despite great efforts last summer (by the city) to update and add dog-related signage to the park, it is evident these signs have no effect on repeat offenders that frequent the park specifically to harm wildlife with their hunting dogs,” said the letter-writer.
Bradford said city bylaw officers have been asked to increase enforcement in the area. “Residents who are concerned about off-leash dogs should also report incidents to 311, as that information helps the city direct enforcement resources to the area of highest concern.” Bradford added that dog owners, and all residents for that matter, need to be aware of the impact pets running free can have on the flora and fauna in local parks and natural areas. “Whether it’s in our ravines or the natural areas of the Beach, please think about the threatened species of birds and other animals who live in our backyard, and take particular care to keep your dogs leashed in these sensitive areas,” he said. The local concerns about unleased dogs come at the same time as the city recently announced a number of changes it is making to Continued on Page 23
use with 152 parking spaces. According to documents filed with the City of Toronto, Choice Properties REIT’s application for this site is a resubmission of a proposal that was first made in 2019. “As a result of ongoing discussions with City Staff, participation in the LPAT (Land Planning Appeal Tribunal) settlements proceedings on OPA 420, and feedback received from members of the community, a number of revisions were made to the proposal,” stated Bousfields Inc., which filed the application on behalf of the developer. In 2014, Toronto Council requested that the city’s planning department undertake a study of Danforth Avenue from the Don River to Coxwell Avenue and from Coxwell Avenue to Victoria Park Avenue. The Danforth Avenue Planning Study was completed in 2016 with recommendations being adopted by Toronto Council on June 15, 2018, and the Official Plan Amendment 420 (OPA 420) was enacted. However, OPA 420 was appealed at the Local Planning Appeal TribuContinued on Page 23
Fearless Meat to open outdoor patio for artists starting this weekend By Sean Sandieson
STARTING ON the weekend of May 4, Fearless Meat at 884 Kingston Rd. will be hosting free a space on its outdoor patio for local artists to display and sell their works. The owner of Fearless Meat, David Brown, said that he was inspired to offer the space by the number of great local artists and photographers that call the Beach community home. “Giving them a free, high-traffic space to display and sell their work will benefit them and also help showcase our wonderful Beach area,” he told Beach Metro Community News. “They could sell prints
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Local
THE CITY of Toronto is set to hold a virtual community consultation meeting for a development proposal at 985 Woodbine Ave (on the northeast corner of Danforth Avenue) early next month The meeting is slated to take place on Monday, May 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. The developer, Choice Properties REIT, is proposing a 35-storey residential building at the site of the present Valu-mart grocery store. It will share an underground parking area with a second 10-storey residential building along Strathmore Boulevard on the northeast section of the site (southwest corner of Cedarvale Avenue and Strathmore Boulevard). Together, the developments will provide 646 residential units to the neighbourhood – 14 of which will be rental replacements. The development will have a gross floor area (GFA) of 48,236.3 square metres with 2,148 square metres reserved for commercial
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of their works, do customized photos, portraits, caricatures” Brown said he was greatly inspired by the Rue du Tresor in Quebec City and wanted to give community members the opportunity to indulge in local art. “We need something similar in the Beach and I am happy to help.” Artists and photographers are encouraged to go to Fearless Meat’s outdoor patio and display their works. Registration is not required, participation is free and the patio will be open to the public every weekend. For more information, please visit Fearless Meat on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FearlessMeat