LOBLAWS PLAZA NEIGHBOURHOOD CONSENSUS STATEMENT

Based on our November 2022 community survey, we believe that the following points best summarize the neighbourhood’s prevailing opinion on improving the proposed Bloor & Dundas Loblaws development.

The City and the developer should:

1. RESPECT THE CITY’S EXISTING SITE SPECIFIC POLICY, INCORPORATING NEIGHBOURHOOD INPUT ON PROPOSED CHANGES: It is important that the City and the developer respect the neighbourhood’s input for this development. This should start with the guidelines laid out in the 2009 Bloor-Dundas Avenue Study and the subsequently enacted Site and Area Specific Policy (SASP) #335. These were formed with meaningful community consultation led by City Councillor Gord Perks. We acknowledge that some modifications should be considered to help make a workable and improved plan, and to assist in meeting the Province’s density goal for the area. We encourage the City and the developer to consult with our neighbourhood in an effort to create the best possible, community-backed solution.

2. KEEP HERMAN & RITCHIE AVENUES CLOSED TO THROUGH-TRAFFIC: Herman and Ritchie Avenues have a peaceful and distinct character. Extending car traffic onto either of these streets would devastate this quality. Instead, the plan should provide strong pedestrian and cycling connections to the new development as identified in both the 2009 Bloor-Dundas Avenue Study and the 2018 development proposal. If deemed necessary by the City, emergency vehicular access could be added as well. We would also support working with TDSB/TCDSB to secure a new traffic connection along the edge of the existing athletic field to Bloor Street. This would allow for more convenient pedestrian access to the GO station and help alleviate traffic concerns.

3. MAKE THE NEW PARK A BUFFER TO THE EXISTING NEIGHBOURHOOD: The nature and scale of the new development will be substantially different from that of the existing neighbourhood. A proper buffer is needed to help mediate this transition and knit the two together. We believe the best way to do this is by locating the new park behind the houses along Herman and Ritchie Avenues, as proposed by the developer in 2018. To ensure that it contains amenities beneficial to the community, the neighbourhood should be consulted on programming this new public space.

4. FAVOUR MID-RISE BUILDINGS OVER TOWERS TO ACHIEVE HIGH-DENSITY WITH AN APPROPRIATE SCALE: It is important that the development properly relate to the existing neighbourhood. To do so, buildings located next to a residential property or at the end of Herman Avenue should not exceed 12m in height (3–4 storeys) as specified in the 2009 Bloor-Dundas Avenue Study. As noted above, the community feels that a park would make an even better buffer adjacent to these properties.

Additionally, the development should strive to create a welcoming urban environment in tune with the human scale. Most feel that the five towers as proposed would hinder this goal; that they would be overbearing so close to an established neighbourhood. Instead, the general preference is for a solution that favours mid-rise buildings in accordance with the City’s policy for the site, especially in the central and southern zones. Furthermore, mid-rise buildings may provide the opportunity to build faster and more sustainably through mass-timber construction.

A significant number of people in the neighbourhood believe that, with the high school remaining, 1–3 towers could be deemed suitable along the site’s northern edge. To merit consideration by the community, any proposed towers should not overwhelm the school or adjacent neighbourhoods.

5. PROVIDE MEANINGFUL AFFORDABLE HOUSING: We recognize that the high cost of housing in our city has denied the chance for many people to join our community. To help make the neighbourhood more accessible, we believe that the development should follow the City’s new Inclusionary Zoning Policy, which requires a minimum of 10% affordable housing units. Many in the neighbourhood feel that this figure should be even higher.

6. NEGOTIATE TO INCORPORATE ALL OR SOME OF THE ADJACENT HIGH SCHOOL PROPERTY INTO THE DEVELOPMENT: We support the developer’s continued negotiations with TDSB/TCDSB for incorporation of Bishop Marrocco High School into the development. We recognize that its immediate proximity to the nearby subway and GO stations provides an opportunity for effective high-density in its place. As mentioned above, a compromise might include partial development of the athletic field with a traffic connection to Bloor Street and new access provided to the subway and GO stations.

7. PROVIDE NEW TRANSIT & RAILPATH CONNECTIONS: Even if a deal is not reached with TDSB/TCDSB, we believe that the previously proposed new subway entrance is necessary to handle the influx of residents and businesses—perhaps located on school or city property at the southeast corner of Bloor and Dundas. Likewise, it would be beneficial to provide direct access to the GO station’s west platform on the south side of Bloor Street. Furthermore, the developer’s new block plan should help guide the natural flow of pedestrians from Herman Ave towards the intersection of Bloor & Dundas, as was done in the 2018 proposal. Also, we would like the developer to provide the previously proposed pedestrian/cycling bridge to the West Toronto Railpath. All of these connections would help weave both the existing neighbourhood and the new development into the larger community.