An update brought to you by the Broadway Area Residents Association (BARA)
A bid by the developer of #2-20 Glazebrook Ave to demolish the existing townhouses has been rejected by North York Community Council. BARA (Broadway Area Residents Association) and Don Valley West Councillor Rachel Chernos-Lin spoke against the proposal, which would have seen the site sit vacant for an indeterminate amount of time – possibly years – before construction begins on an approved 31-storey tower. The council agreed that the townhouses should remain in place until a building permit is issued for the new development.
We are awaiting word from the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) on the final height and mass of the new tower proposed for the Bayview Car Wash site at 1840 Bayview at the corner of Roehampton Ave. A hearing was held in December, at which BARA had official party status and spoke against the developer’s bid to construct a 46-storey building – by far the highest of any approved project for the Bayview-Eglinton area. Concerns were also expressed about the proposed width of the sidewalk on Bayview being too narrow. City staff objected to a tower in excess of 40 storeys. The OLT’s decision – which will be final and binding – is expected in the coming weeks.
A public meeting was recently held to hear views on a proposed 39-storey condo building on Glenavy Ave stretching south from Glazebrook. BARA and a sizeable number of area residents told city planning and legal staff that while intensification along the major arteries of Bayview and Eglinton makes sense, tearing out houses on a side street and putting a 39-storey tower in the midst of single-family homes is poor planning. Further, it contradicts the city’s Official Plan, which calls for a “transition down in height and scale” from high-rise buildings on the main streets into the existing neighbourhood. Councillor Rachel Chernos-Lin also attended and echoed the concerns of area residents.
The Broadway Area Residents Association (BARA) is a volunteer organization of Bayview/Eglinton residents who care deeply about their neighbourhood.
We work hard to ensure that our concerns about the impact of new developments on the history and character of our neighbourhood are fully and fairly considered. BARA opposes inappropriate redevelopment in our area, such as 25 to 46-storey towers abutting 2-storey houses and buildings with inadequate parking for residents and guests.
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