DESIGN YOUR MAIN STREET

Background information:

• The JRA has been advocating for an avenue or area study, including heritage, that would meaningfully engage impacted residents and businesses.

• Parkdale, Roncesvalles and Bloor West Village have had such studies done, paid for by the City. The Junction has not. Planning Studies – City of Toronto

• In early  2020, during the City of Toronto’s budget consultation process, the Junction Residents Association with the support of 3 neighbouring residents associations, formally requested an avenue study along Dundas Street (between Jane and Humberside). The request was rejected; no room in the budget was the reason given.

• Design Your Main Street is inspired by the recent Avenue Road Safety Coalitions’ commissioning of Brown and Storey Architects to prepare a report: Concepts for expanding the public realm on Avenue Road 

Purpose of the Project:

Design Your Main Street will provide a platform for the community to have a voice, given the emerging pressures in the Junction and the impending changes to the physical landscape. The focus of the project is to capture what we value as a community and retain the services of professionals for a design/study of Dundas. This design/study will give us an effective tool to lobby the Councillor's office to inform the Official Plan policies that impact our community. The project will also seek to identify opportunities to make streetscape improvements.

Why Should the Community Pay for an “Avenue Study”?:

• While neighbouring areas have had this funded by the City of Toronto, the Junction’s request was denied because of the City’s inability to fund it now.

• To illustrate what we want Dundas Street to look like.

• Prepares the community for responding to development proposals.

• Provides a consensus among members about what they would like to see.

• Can be used as a tool by the City to inform policies that impact our neighbourhood.

Phases of the Project:

Phase 1 (completed) - by surveying the community during the summer of 2023 (with assistance provided by university students with expertise in community outreach and survey research). 

You may access the Design Your Main Street Study Report below:

Executive Summary

Summary Presentation

Full Street Study Report
 

Phase 2 - The completion of the Design Your Main Street Survey provides a barometer of community sentiments to refer to and use in securing political support for whatever we see as opportunities for city undertakings.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

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THE INTENT OF THE DESIGN AND MAINSTREET DESIGN STUDY TO ADVOCATE FOR AN AVENUE STUDY ON DUNDAS HAS BEEN PREEMPTED BY THE CITY'S ADVANCES TOWARDS CITY WIDE STUDIES TO ENCOURAGE MAIN STREET INTENSIFICATION. 

City-Wide Community Consultation: Resident Associations (Sept. 18, 2024). The JRA attended this virtual meeting. You may access the City's presentation in the link below:

Avenues Policy Review Consultation Slide Deck

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Learn more:

Housing Action Plan: Avenues, Mid-rise and Mixed Use Areas Study

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Funding of the Project:

Design Your Main Street is a Junction Residents Association initiated project made possible through funding received through the Canada Summer Jobs Program  , donations from the public and sponsorship from our Community Partners featured below. Please consider making a donation today.