You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter The lower level laundry room has hooks and cubbies for additional storage space boasts top of the line materials and craftsmanship “with no expense spared,” according to the listing An oak staircase is located just off the front entrance The covered back patio overlooks a fenced yard The kitchen has brand new stainless steel appliances The kitchen has ample built-in storage space The finished lower level features a separate entrance and offers a kitchen rough-in large recreation area and ‘huge’ bedroom One of the home’s two bathrooms features a standing shower An additional bedroom found on the upper level two-bathroom fully renovated house at 75 Cameo Cresc features a modern floor plan and large parking lot with space for seven vehicles X-factor: This fully renovated semi-detached house situated on Cameo Crescent boasts top of the line materials and craftsmanship “with no expense spared,” according to the listing. Listing agent Leon Klaiman called the listing “an entertainer’s dream home.”  In a neighbourhood of multi-generationally owned from the tiling on the front porch to the back fence “There was a lot of love that was put into the renovations,” Klaiman said two-bathroom home with a double door entry features a modern floor plan and large parking lot with space for seven vehicles The open-concept living area on the main floor features an oversized window and lots of space for seating and decor the bright dining room area lined with hardwood floors has a gas fireplace and space for a large entertainment system The gourmet kitchen with pot lights offers full height cabinets quartz countertops with an undermount sink and a walkout patio An oak staircase with iron pickets and railings leads to a second floor that features wainscotting Three bedrooms are found on the upper level each with hardwoods floors and spacious closets The finished lower level features a separate entrance and offers a kitchen rough-in four-piece bathroom and plenty of storage space makes the space perfect for rental opportunities Klaiman noted that the laundry room can be converted into a kitchenette The fenced backyard features a fully covered outdoor space with a detached garage The back area overlooks a quiet plaza and without neighbours backing onto the property “The value is more than there” for this house according to local real estate expert Desmond Brown He noted that the two most recent sales on the same street which sold for between $800,000 and $900,000 were semi-attached bungalows that needed renovation The house was previously listed at $999,990 in February before its price rose by $100,000 this month The sellers likely initially underpriced the home to attract more buyers and drive up the price “it appears that they didn’t get that so now they have a price where they feel the market value is,” Brown said Klaiman recommends the listing to first-time buyers and empty-nesters looking to downsize The house’s renovations make it perfect for a first-time buyer “It’s completely renovated — they can move right in,” Brown said “This is a great opportunity for a first-time buyer who wants to move into something that doesn’t need any work.”  #GTAHomeHunt is a series from the Star that gets into the details of real estate listings in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. Have a tip? Email us at social@torstar.ca Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Eric Swanson inspects the damage after starting a cleanup as residents and crews cleanup after sudden rain storm flooded basements on Cordella Drive Wednesday afternoon and the information within may be out of date the contents of his basement are now waterlogged noticed the water rising and darted out a back exit “She actually had to run out the back door because the water was coming into the front and we couldn’t open her bedroom door anymore,” Swanson told the Star by phone Thursday morning While it “wasn’t a life or death situation” — she had an exit available — Swanson said he was glad Harper was able to think fast The effects of Wednesday’s sudden downpour — when around 65 millimetres of rainfall poured over the city of Toronto — may have been a surprise to some but they were not a surprise to Swanson or their neighbours Frances Nunziata she feels “terribly for the residents whose homes were flooded in yesterday’s rainstorm and especially for those who have experienced this multiple times and residents should not have to face this stress with every significant rainfall.” Nunziata said she is working with city staff and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) to “get shovels in the ground on flood remediation.” Recently the TRCA completed a feasibility study for the area while their board approved recommendations at a June 26 meeting “The recommendations delegate a procurement process to facilitate an accelerated start to the necessary Environmental Assessment (EA) which will also follow an accelerated timeline,” Nunziata said “The recommended construction needs to get underway and the city has set aside funding for this project I am pressing this entire process as a priority with the city of Toronto and the TRCA.” while Toronto’s sewer system is a century old and easily overwhelmed by heavy rains This increases pressure on the sewer systems and overland drainage routes which can lead to basement flooding,” a city spokesperson said in an email Thursday “The areas along Black Creek that were impacted by yesterday’s storm are particularly vulnerable to flooding,” the TRCA said in an email “TRCA and the City of Toronto have been coordinating efforts to reduce flooding risks in the Rockcliffe area.” The agency said a formal study on the the Rockcliffe Riverine Flood Mitigation environmental assessment are underway and is expected to be complete in 2022 “The EA builds on the recommendations from the Black Creek at Rockcliffe Flood Remediation and Transportation Feasibility Study that identified a suite of crossing and channel improvements along Black Creek and Lavender Creek that would reduce the risk of riverine flooding to the community,” the TRCA said “This study has provided TRCA and the City with a road map towards implementing a viable flood remediation plan for the Rockcliffe community.” Swanson is now working on an insurance claim for the damages The family of five moved into the home in January While he knew the area was prone to floods Swanson “saw the house and we really loved it he saw that there were projects underway that could mitigate the flooding I thought there were enough projects in the works in the city” to contain the flooding or would go away in short order and I gambled The systems in place to handle the Black Creek floodplain aren’t strong enough “now that Finch is developed and … the whole Black Creek watershed has been developed and that water has to go somewhere and where does it go The city of Toronto, in co-operation with the Toronto and Regional Conservation Authority (TRCA), has retained Stantec to replace two bridges which cross Black Creek at Jane Street and Scarlett Road to increase resilience in Rockcliffe-Smythe The scope of the $12.5-million contract entails preliminary design restoration of public trails and other park amenities and public art installations road and traffic engineering and landscape architecture teams will be engaged from across Ontario Both bridges will be widened as they are reconstructed adding space for cycling and public amenities an 11-m concrete arch culvert will be replaced by a 55-metre single-span bridge with raised cycle tracks in each direction a 15-m bridge will be replaced by a higher 30-m single-span bridge and raised cycle tracks Rockcliffe-Smythe was developed when it was common to build near rivers and in floodplains The area experienced major flooding events in 2013 2020 and 2024 when Black Creek and Lavender Creek overflowed due to extreme storms to be carried out in concert with Toronto’s basement flooding protection program will include widening and deepening flood channels and replacing bridges and culverts Stantec has had a lead role on three of the city’s six basement flooding protection projects to date The exterior view of the one-and-a-half storey home located at 35 Ellins Avenue The open-concept layout is fit with a kitchen with an island The L-shaped kitchen has an island and wooden cupboards The primary bedroom is connected to the rest of the home by a hallway The three-piece bathroom has heated floors An additional bedroom can be found in the basement The multi-purpose loft is met with two skylights The double garage is detached from the home and can accommodate two vehicles The corner lot is fully fenced and has a detached double garage The backyard of the home is complete with a patio and a sandbox two-bathroom home contains a loft and is a five-minute walk from Smythe Park X-factor: The selling point of this home is the neighbourhood its located in This bungalow at 35 Ellins Avenue two bathrooms and is a five-minute walk to Smythe Park “I love the neighbourhood,” said Jarrod Armstrong a local real estate agent who shared his thoughts about listing with the Star baseball diamonds and there’s golf courses.” The corner lot property has one and a half storeys an open concept and a detached two-car garage “This one is a bit of a unicorn,” said Armstrong “There’s lots of bungalows and storey-and-a-halfs in the community but none that are opened up in this configuration.” “It’s deceptively spacious,” said listing agent Gus Skarlatakis adding that the home’s total square footage comes in around 2,000 The open-concept main floor features 16-foot ceilings a kitchen with an island and two skylights on the ceiling A short walk down a connecting hallway leads to the primary bedroom and three-piece bathroom fit with heated floors a stairway leads up to the multi-purpose loft space and down the basement a patio area and ample lawn space with an accompanying sandbox for children The home also includes a double-car garage and a driveway large enough to accommodate two vehicles Armstrong says the home is best suited for a retiree who doesn’t want a lot of stairs or a young professional but it’s not really suitable for families,” said Armstrong adding that the second bedroom being on a separate floor might be an issue “Not everyone’s going to like a second bedroom being open and not enclosed for any sort of privacy.” “This is a great little starter home or an empty nester home,” said Skarlatakis adding that the home is great for young couples Armstrong says the pricing seems “fine,” pointing to how pricing in the current market is difficult in general “We don’t have a traditional housing market where there’s easy projections going forward,” he said pointing to how the ongoing threat of the U.S tariffs is “throwing everything off.” Armstrong added that the house may be a tougher sell as it’s not a home for every type of buyer “It’s perfect for the one unique person but it doesn’t (check) all the boxes for every buyer in the market.” According to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board’s market watch report the average price of a detached home in the Smythe Park area was $1,155,967 in the month of February TorontoSIU investigating after Toronto cops discharge sock round, less-lethal firearm at man that resulted in serious injuriesBy Bryann AguilarOpens in new windowPublished: December 28 The province’s police watchdog is investigating after Toronto officers discharged sock round and less-lethal firearm at a man who had allegedly stabbed another person in the city’s Rockcliffe-Smythe area on Saturday morning Never miss a moment: Download the CP24 app now Police received a report that a 56-year-old man had stabbed someone with a knife and was threatening others with a staple gun The SIU said when officers located the man in a hallway That prompted one officer to discharge a sock round adding that other officers also deployed conducted energy weapons at him the man entered his apartment unit and barricaded himself Emergency Task Force officers attended and tried to negotiate with the man and one officer discharged a less-lethal firearm Officers also discharged conducted energy weapons at the man,” the SIU said The man was subsequently arrested and then taken to the hospital to be treated for his serious injury No police officer was injured in the incident an arm’s length agency called in to investigate whenever police are involved in a death has assigned three investigators and two forensic investigators to the case Anyone with information is asked to contact the SIU lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or submit video or photo evidence online at https://siu.on.ca/en/appeals.php. Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved TorontoNewsToronto man charged for allegedly pointing firearm at driverBy Bryann AguilarOpens in new windowPublished: July 09, 2024 at 8:41PM EDT This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page \"our\") of the service provided by this web site (\"Service\") are not responsible for any user-generated content and accounts Content submitted express the views of their author only This Service is only available to users who are at least {age} years old you represent that you are this age or older or otherwise make available to the Service (\"Content\") may be reviewed by staff members All Content you submit or upload may be sent to third-party verification services (including Do not submit any Content that you consider to be private or confidential You agree to not use the Service to submit or link to any Content which is defamatory You are entirely responsible for the content of We may remove or modify any Content submitted at any time Requests for Content to be removed or modified will be undertaken only at our discretion We may terminate your access to all or any part of the Service at any time or re-publish your Content in connection with the Service These terms may be changed at any time without notice If you do not agree with these terms, please do not register or use the Service. 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designated a Privacy Officer who is accountable for Chart’s compliance with this Privacy Policy and PIPEDA If at any time you have any questions or complaints about this Privacy Policy or your personal information and how it is being used collected or disclosed (including if you wish to request to update or correct any personally identifiable information you have provided) or you wish to withdraw your consent to “Use of Personal Information” Chart Communications Inc.5255 Yonge Street An ambitious proposal stands out for its density on a unique site at the southeast corner of Jane Street and St Clair Avenue West. Designed by KFA Architects and Planners for 1654316 Ontario Ltd. it calls for a mixed-use development that proposes to retain a car dealership onsite while adding new housing at the southern extreme of Toronto’s Rockcliffe-Smythe neighbourhood Looking southeast to 2595 St Clair Avenue West designed by KFA Architects and Planners for 1654316 Ontario Ltd Addressed to 2595 St Clair Avenue West the wedge-shaped site spans approximately 6,406m² with St Clair dipping below average grade level in the area to meet Jane Street as Jane passes under the adjacent CP Rail corridor and Lambton Yard that also forms the southern limit of the property The site currently houses a two-storey car dealership and servicing department The neighbouring area is a mix of residential and commercial uses including single-storey commercial plazas.  The combined Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment application proposes a 20-storey tower standing 63.5m high in the southeast corner of the site with a 12-storey mid-rise podium running along St Clair Avenue West The development would provide 516 residential units while a car dealership would be integrated into the site's rebuilt frontage along St Clair The Gross Floor Area (GFA) would total 40,490m² with 38,464m² allocated for residential use and 2,225m² dedicated to commercial activities This configuration results in a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 6.36 across the site Amenities are planned with 642m² of indoor spaces and 1,695m² of outdoor spaces and atop a one-storey podium and the mid-rise component The design includes two levels of underground parking and additional at-grade spaces including 290 spaces designated for residents and 107 for visitors and commercial use with all residential spaces prepared for electric vehicle charging as per Toronto Green Standard Version 4 requirements Cyclists would be allocated 466 long-term and 104 short-term bicycle spots The development would contain four elevators with two servicing the mid-rise component and terminating at the 12th floor indicating notably longer than preferable wait times for residents a POPS (Privately Owned Publicly-accessible Space) is proposed spanning 355m² Adding to the public realm would be a small public plaza at the Jane Street and St Clair Avenue West intersection a crash wall is planned to mitigate any potential risks and minimize noise Axonometric views of 2595 St Clair Avenue West The TTC serves the site with frequent bus service along Jane Street while other buses connect to Runnymede and Keele stations and connect to the 512 St Clair streetcar that heads east to Line 1 An aerial view of the site and surrounding area calling for four towers ranging from 31 to 34 storeys closer to Keele Street More tall towers are proposed in the blocks surrounding the planned GO station at St Clair and Old Weston Road UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development you can learn more about it from our Database file you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page 1 month agoDuration 2:22Northwest Toronto neighbourhood hit with flooding following spring storm 1 month agoNewsDuration 2:22Toronto’s Rockcliffe-Smythe neighbourhood is one of the city’s most flood-prone areas. CBC’s Tyler Cheese speaks to residents about their frustrations as they deal with the aftermath of this week’s snow and rain storm. Video evidence, NHLer testimony raise questions in world junior sexual assault trialThe National |May 2Video4:45 Trump repeats 51st state taunt as Carney prepares for White House visitThe National |May 5Video11:28 It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem with Ahmed Hussen MP for York South-Weston and local Coun Frances Nunziata on Friday announced more than $320 million in city and federal funding to floodproof the Rockcliffe-Smythe neighbourhood Funds will be used to modify the Black Creek and Lavender Creek channels and other flood protection measures A Toronto neighbourhood that has suffered periodic flooding for years is slated for major infrastructure improvements to protect it from heavy storms The federal government and city of Toronto announced Friday a joint investment of more than $320 million for flood protection initiatives in the west end area of Rockcliffe-Smythe Mayor Olivia Chow said the money will be used to increase the capacity of the Black Creek and Lavender Creek channels Upgrades are also planned for local sewers and roads said “climate mitigation is now needed more than ever before “We realize that investing in climate mitigation measures and projects actually saves money down the road you’ll pay more later when the disaster strikes,” he said Hussen noted that the torrential rainfall in July is estimated to have caused $940 million in insured damage in Toronto and Southern Ontario many people don’t realize they’re in a flood-risk area Frances Nunziata said that for years she has been “hounding” Hussen and the federal government for funding for the project which she described as a top priority in her ward “Frequent flooding has caused serious damage to homes Nunziata predicted the new measures will “provide strong long-term protection against severe storms,” and be “essential to keeping our community safe.” The announcement was held at an office building on Alliance Avenue where in 2018 two men were trapped in an elevator when the parking garage flooded attended the press conference and said he knew first hand how dangerous flash flooding in the area could be He said he and the other man had only about a foot of breathing space by the time they were rescued by police who had to swim through the garage to get to them I don’t know if they would have survived.”  Recent storms have highlighted Toronto’s vulnerability to flooding with heavy downpours overwhelming the city’s aging infrastructure and putting parts of the subway system Experts warn intense rainfall will only become more frequent and unpredictable due to climate change The Rockcliffe-Smythe neighbourhood near Jane Street and Eglinton Avenue is particularly susceptible Parts of it lie in the Black Creek flood plain and its culverts and channels have limited capacity to handle intense rainfall according to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority The neighbourhood is also vulnerable to basement flooding and sewer backups as a result of its aging stormwater infrastructure The federal government is contributing about $129 million to the flood mitigation plan through its Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund while the city has committed almost $194 million the tangible benefits will be clear,” said Mayor Olivia Chow less damage to people’s homes and to their lives and less damage to our public infrastructure.” Black Creek overflows onto Humber Boulevard North during the rain storm of July 2013 that brought record levels of water down on Toronto Rockcliffe-Smythe residents expressed disbelief upon discovering no flood mitigation measures have been implemented in the half-decade since their homes sustained extensive water damage during the July 2013 storm The city has added the area to its “priority list,” York South-Weston Coun Frances Nunziata told them at a recent public meeting Residents have spent thousands of dollars repairing the damage and flood-proofing their homes The meeting served to update the community on efforts by the city and the Toronto Region and Conservation Authority to lessen the impact of flooding “This is a very important area for the TRCA,” said spokesperson Ron Scheckenberger at Archbishop Romero Catholic Secondary School “We’ve been studying it for many years now looking at mitigation options.” There are more than 620 properties at risk within the TRCA’s study area along Black Creek from Scarlett Road just beyond Weston Road adding there are several ways to improve the way water flows through an area using culverts and berms and enlarging channels The TRCA will begin studying the feasibility and design of such flood protection measures including improvements to the Jane Street crossing the city is working to make improvements to its sewer system increasing the size of sewers or replacing storm sewers doesn’t change the fact that the area is in a flood plain 2013 is a day Maria Farcas won’t soon forget “The whole neighbourhood was under water,” she recalled Farcas watched the water level rise higher and higher from her home’s second floor The TRCA will discuss moving onto the feasibility and design stage of the flood mitigation process at its board meeting March 23 is a reporter with toronto.com and Metroland Media Toronto These incidents were reported by police in the past week and reportedly occurred in the past two weeks There was one residential break and enter reported in the district from March 18 to March 24 Toronto Police Service received 37 reports of a break-in at a home between March 18 and March 24 In total 330 residential break and enters have been reported in the City of Toronto since Jan 1 – down 81.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2024 A break-in was reported at a house near Mariposa Avenue and Pritchard Avenue on Wednesday There have been two residential break and enters reported in Rockcliffe-Smythe in 2025 Find out where residential break and enters were reported in East York, Etobicoke, North York, Old Toronto and Scarborough This story was automatically generated using open data collected and maintained by Toronto Police Service. The incidents were reported by police in the past week and reportedly occurred in the past two weeks, but recent crime data is preliminary and subject to change upon further police investigation The locations have been offset to the nearest intersection and no personal information has been included for privacy reasons Sophie Van Waeyenberghe picks up debris after their garage and basement were flooded during the storm earlier this month Many residents on Hilldale Road are cleaning out their basements after sewage came pouring out of their drainpipes As Rockcliffe-Smythe-area residents continue cleanup of their homes after a storm early this month the local councillor and City of Toronto are working on accelerating strategies to mitigate flooding in the neighbourhood in collaboration with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) are looking to expedite the work necessary to alleviate the issue including the feasibility of co-ordinating road construction and sewer work on Humber Boulevard and Alliance Avenue in 2019,” City of Toronto spokesperson Ellen Leesti said “Staff will also review the possibility of accelerating the detailed design of some of the recommended projects identified through the city’s Environmental Assessment (EA) study.” Situated within the floodplain of Black Creek, Rockcliffe-Smythe suffered surface and basement flooding because of riverine flooding and overloading of the city’s sewer systems when a rain storm pummelled the city on Aug. 7. Because this wasn’t an isolated incident, Toronto Water and TRCA each completed environmental studies of the area that sought options to reduce sewer system and riverine flooding TRCA completed the Black Creek (Rockcliffe Area) Riverine Flood Management Class Environmental Assessment in 2014 The EA study investigated river flooding and recommended flood remediation measures TRCA and the City of Toronto have been working to expedite the flood remediation projects in Rockcliffe-Smythe neighborhood,” he said Toronto’s transportation services issued an expression of interest in July to Infrastructure Canada for federal funding under the Disaster Mitigation & Adaption Fund to cover the cost of replacing the Jane Street culvert with a bridge Results of the expression of interest are expected in September and if successful an application will follow in December with money potentially available next year local Councillor Frances Nunziata assured constituents that the city applied for federal funding required by the TRCA to widen the Jane Street culvert “It is expected that the funding will be confirmed in September,” she said in a letter to Hilldale Road “In the event that the funding is not received Preliminary design work for the new storage sewer on Hilldale Road has been completed while reconstruction of Humber Boulevard and Alliance Avenue Nunziata said she has contacted the TRCA about the need for regular maintenance along the Black Creek Channel so that it remains unobstructed by debris and fallen trees the councillor has requested an alert system be installed along Black Creek so that once water levels reach a certain level the system is triggered notifying residents via siren A map of the Rockcliffe-Smythe neighbourhood we look at the changing neighbourhood trends and demographics Data courtesy Statistics Canada via the City of Toronto we look at the changing trends and demographics in its neighbourhoods Portuguese is the most common non-official language in Rockcliffe-Smythe 11.4 per cent of residents listed Portuguese as their Mother Tongue and 6.9 per cent listed Portuguese as their Home Language Key changes in the neighbourhood between 2001 and 2011 Key changes in the neighbourhood between 2006 and 2011 VIEW ROCKCLIFFE-SMYTHE ON AN INTERACTIVE MAP Joanne Deane and Miriam Hawkins pick rhubarb from one of the six Access Alliance-Unison community garden plots at the west end of Marie Baldwin park The Access Alliance-Unison launched a community garden at the west end of Marie Baldwin park Friday The Alliance-Unison is in need of volunteers for the six plots ‘Power West Toronto’ includes upgrades to Hydro One’s existing Runnymede Transfer Station at 99 Wolner Ave and 10 kilometres of nearby transmission power lines In exchange for losing green space to the expansion of the Runnymede transformer station and local transmission system the Rockcliffe-Smythe Community Association has sought support from Hydro One and Toronto Hydro to make improvements to Woolner Park and the nearby hydro corridor Power West Toronto includes upgrades to Hydro One’s existing Runnymede Transfer Station at 99 Woolner Ave According to Rockcliffe-Smythe Community Association co-chair Miriam Hawkins the electrical companies paved over a soccer field in front of the apartment buildings on Woolner Avenue to make room for a new transformer Since the community did not get input into where the transformer would go we need something in return; we need (Woolner) park fixed up,” she said The electrical companies are collaborating with residents and the City of Toronto “to develop plans to give back to the community and enhance the corridor for future use,” Hydro One spokesperson Tiziana Baccega Rosa said In addition to a community meeting held late last year to solicit input from residents and park users alongside neighbours whose interest in the neighbourhood piqued following consultation for the new men’s shelter slated to open in the former Goodwill store near Runnymede Road and St “I went out and sat in the park and asked people what they would like,” she said community members and park users came up with a wish list for the park and hydro corridor between Weston and Scarlett roads and “Rockcliffe Lookout” with seating area facing northeast over Black Creek Valley comprised of wading pool and drinking fountain/bottle filling station for both people and dogs residents would like to see the creation of an accessible continuous paved and hard-packed gravel walking and bike path that links Scarlett and Weston roads past the Runnymede transformer station improving the paved sections and crossings of Terry Drive and Lavender Creek They’d like feeder trails and access at Scarlett Road “The goal is to make Rockcliffe-Smythe a destination location for tourists “Hydro says they will pay for it as long as the city maintains it.” Hydro One is committed to working with residents and all involved “as we invest in our infrastructure across the province,” Baccega Rosa said the country’s largest electricity transmission and distribution service provider will be hosting a meeting within the next few months to update the community on the plan and get feedback Rockcliffe-Smythe residents are in the midst of some other park improvement projects for those interested in gardening yet don’t have the space or a yard there are community plots available at Marie Baldwin Park Contact gvanzaghi@accessalliance.ca or 416-760-2815 ext Visit https://rockcliffesmythe.wordpress.com/ for more information are among a group of Rockcliffe-Smythe area residents hoping to bring upgrades to the park The Rockcliffe Smythe community is hoping to get new play structures at Gaffney Park Park PitchNeighbours lobby for improvements'The neighbourhood needs this' Residents in Toronto’s Rockcliffe-Smythe neighbourhood have rallied behind a couple of small park improvements they say could bring neighbours closer Residents are hoping for improvements to Henrietta and Gaffney parks but don’t know yet if either one will get funding They have applied for the City of Toronto’s Partnership Opportunities Legacy (POL) funding which has a pot of $12 million to be spent during the current council’s administration for resident-led neighbourhood improvement projects in the city’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas Both projects had strong community support with approximately 40 people actively involved in determining what improvements they would like to see and support from local councillor Frances Nunziata “The neighbourhood needs this,” said Julie Osland a lot of houses don’t have any grass at all which makes these public spaces even more important for a lot of people here.” but a lot of the parks in this area haven’t been looked at in quite some time,” said Jennifer Wellman who spearheaded the Henrietta Park efforts They hope that once improvements are complete residents will be able to hold neighbourhood events at the parks Residents are seeking $350,000 for each park This would pay for new play structures at both It would also pay for water access at Henrietta Park which would allow for the installation of a water bottle filling station That water access could also turn the field into a natural ice rink in the winter which would convert into a minisoccer pitch during the rest of the year residents hope for some outdoor exercise equipment as well as chess tables and a heritage plaque Both parks would also get accessible swings said community involvement is important for herself the city would simply address parks where standards aren’t being met if you want to add all these extras that are not part of the park then the community has to come forward and identify what they would like to see,” Nunziata said Similar park improvements have happened in her ward in the past if the two projects don’t get approved for POL funding they’ll now be on a list of community-selected projects so that when new development happens in the area Section 37 funding can be directed toward them The POL fund is part of the Toronto Strong Neighbourhood Strategy. For more information, visit bit.ly/polfund2 is a reporter with Metroland Media Toronto The parcel of land in Rockcliffe-Smythe that may become a meat-packing plant (Photo courtesy of Councillor Frances Nunziata) UPDATE: Mayor John Tory says he cannot stop the sale of floodplain-adjacent green space in the Rockcliffe-Smythe neighbourhood to a meat-packing plant despite residents’ repeated requests for his help But the Black Creek Alliance says it will continue to protest the sale while taking action It's now calling on Toronto’s integrity commissioner and office of the ombudsman to investigate the handling of the transaction "We won’t be bullied and will not back down Reneging on the deal with St Helen's Meat may be costly for the City of Toronto but it's a small price compared to the price that the people of Toronto pay when their city government and regional agencies refuse to manage and mitigate inevitable future flood risk,” says the Alliance in a statement Young families have built up a once-neglected neighbourhood Now they believe their efforts — and neighbourhood — are about to be thwarted by a meat-packing plant Just north of the tracks from Toronto’s trendy neighbourhood the Junction, you'll find a community known as Rockcliffe Smythe. And as Toronto housing prices soar it has become known as one of the last affordable areas Rockcliffe Smythe has always been working-class, originally comprised of railway workers and slaughterhouse employees. With an Urban Heart score of 33 it sits in the bottom-third of neighborhoods in Toronto considered a Neighbourhood Improvement Area Today it struggles to shed its identity as a low-income community in the midst of an industrial wasteland Some nearby industrial sites have given way to commercial properties. Most notably, the former Canada Packers plant at Keele and St. Clair, which is now the Stockyards Shopping Village. Also, the Symes Transfer Station was transformed into the beautifully restored and repurposed event centre The Symes. Other businesses continue to spread through the area But there is one new establishment its residents don’t want: The meat-packing plant A proactive group of residents, the Black Creek Alliance call the imminent purchase of green space at 301 Rockcliffe Blvd just another example of the environmental discrimination its ward has always endured a real estate affiliate of the City of Toronto say paving over and building a 55,000 square foot storage facility — on contaminated land in the middle of a floodplain — is a step wrong direction They say the area needs naturalization and flood mitigation — not pavement have been working with the City of Toronto and other green space stakeholders in the area to reclaim and rejuvenate this parcel of land Dreams of turning this land into a community park or a West End version of the “Evergreen Brickworks,” where shattered by news it would become a massive storage facility as they were not consulted about the decision and say the process was not transparent once home to a landfill and sewage treatment plant was only just beginning to naturalize itself again While St. Helen’s says it is working on flood mitigation measures, and 100 jobs will be created, the Black Creek Alliance see the purchase of this temporary green space as an end to their hopes of reclaiming it for their inescapably res-industrial community The proposed facility will be located directly across from Rockcliffe Middle School Ward 11 Councillor Frances Nunziata had just called for safer measures in the area “safer measures” may now include an industrial compound and a steady stream of trucks on Rockcliffe Rd “There are two futures: This could become victim to the environmental injustice that this area has been subject to for decades Or it becomes one of the most beautiful places in Toronto.” the Toronto and Reginal Conservation Authority will meet on March 23 They will have the final say and the Black Creek Alliance is hopeful that they will prevent the severance of the land For more information you can visit the Black Creek Alliance Facebook or Twitter. there are dozens (over 140) of amazing neighbourhoods peppered throughout the city for residents to call home But one particular demographic -- young families -- has specific requirements can be difficult to find in Toronto’s downtown core So, what are the top neighbourhoods in Toronto that are family-friendly and cater to those with kids of all ages? Our friends at Zoocasa recently put together a list of eight of the top family-friendly neighbourhoods in Toronto along with the average price of a semi-detached house Zoocasa says the average detached house price ranged from $908,082 to $4,453,101 while the more affordable condo options ranged from $535,357 to $1,080,333 The following list is sorted from the most affordable to the least affordable neighbourhood based on the price of an average detached house READ: Freehold Homes Continue to Outpace Condos as Buyers’ Preferences Shift Rockcliffe-Smythe is currently home to the more affordable detached homes in proximity to downtown Clair streetcar line and is known for its quiet residential streets and lush green space along the Black Creek Valley Zoocasa says this neighbourhood is a "rare find" for families looking for a house with parking and a backyard in the big city Riverdale is one of Toronto’s largest neighbourhoods and with its abundant green space and quiet streets This neighbourhood also has convenient and delicious eats being close to the Danforth and also great schools in the area including Withrow Avenue Junior Public School and Montcrest School and Riverdale Collegiate Institute high school) Once hailed by the New York Times as the Williamsburg of Toronto Leslieville is a family-friendly neighbourhood situated on the east side of downtown it’s become a magnet for young millennial families Typical homes in Leslieville include mid-rise condos and apartments The area also has easy access to downtown via Line 2 this neighbourhood has attracted buyers from all segments of the market the neighbourhood has transformed but is still considered to be an “affordable” area of the city making it a very attractive option for homebuyers looking to purchase a house but still be within reach of downtown The neighbourhood also has lots of recreational activities to enjoy like The Danforth/Coxwell Public Library and Monarch Park as well as easy access to the TTC Bloor-Danforth line and the Danforth GO Station Davisville Village offers a variety of housing options and great schools -- such as Maurice Cody Junior Public School -- one of midtown’s highest-ranked public schools Houses here boast "age-old charm," which is evident in the architecture and easily recognized by their Edwardian-style features and high-rises provide the option for young families who prefer condo living Thes central location of the neighbourhood is ideal for transit and driving from downtown being close to both Davisville and Eglinton subway stations Known for its family-friendly community and tree-lined streets this neighbourhood is located west of downtown and borders High Park -- the second largest municipal park in Toronto covering 161 hectares of nature With direct access to the TTC Bloor-Danforth line homes here are just steps away from Bloor Street the neighbourhood is also known to be one of the safest in Toronto Leaside is well-known for being one of the most upscale and high-end pockets in the city and with no short of luxurious properties the homes in this neighbourhood typically come at a higher price tag but also makes it a great area to raise kids The neighbourhood is also easily accessible with 3 Eglinton Crosstown LRT stations in the area as of 2021 Known for being one of the most exclusive and wealthy neighbourhoods in Toronto Lawrence Park South is a neighbourhood that has some of the best properties With the average price of homes in this area are in the millions the steeper prices comes quiet and safe streets with rolling hills Thirteen more Toronto neighbourhoods will be seeing community officers in their areas as the city’s police service expands its Neighbourhood Community Officer program (NCO) to cover a total of 51 localities The program was launched in 2013 with NCOs deployed in all 16 Toronto police divisions Chief of Police James Ramer and Mayor John Tory made the announcement on Saturday at a community open house at 31 Division the Toronto Police Service (TPS) said expanding the program was a priority in its 2022 budget The additional neighbourhoods were identified through “comprehensive analyses including of crime and demographics,” and will have 52 new NCOs they said NCOs are embedded in a particular neighbourhood for a minimum of four years and TPS says they co-develop solutions with the community and mobilize resources to “reduce crime fear of crime and anti-social behaviour.” The following 13 neighbourhoods will be added to the existing 38 that are currently included in the program: WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Mark Carney will have to navigate a delicate balance during his first in-person meeting with Donald Trump today A planned peaceful vacation has spiralled into a prolonged two-month ordeal for Ontario man David Bennett who remains stranded in the Dominican Republic despite having all criminal charges against him.. A Canadian man arrested on vacation has been proven innocent Melissa Nakhavoly with why he is still being held in the Dominican Republic Warmer temperatures but showers are expected on-and-off for the next few days Meteorologist Natasha Ramsahai has your seven-day forecast Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls on Prime Minister Mark Carney to prioritize a list of projects including the proposed Highway 401 tunnel Monday is calling for rain and thunderstorms Stella Acquisto has the long-range forecast listen to NewsRadio Toronto live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews Toronto anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices Mayor John Tory informs Rockcliffe-Smythe residents he cannot stop sale of green space to meat packing plant Mayor John Tory says he can’t stop the sale of floodplain-adjacent green space in the Rockcliffe-Smythe neighbourhood to St despite residents’ repeated requests for his assistance Following a weeks-long phone and email campaign to the mayor regarding 200 Rockcliffe Court a few residents were recently invited to meet with Tory only to be told the sale could not be reversed “Mayor Tory understands residents have concerns about the sale of this land We understand every option to cancel the sale has been explored and it cannot be stopped due to legal reasons,” said spokesperson Don Peat “Both the local councillor and the mayor will be ensuring that all environmental issues with the land will have to be dealt with to the satisfaction of the city the Ministry of Environment and the TRCA (Toronto and Region Conservation Authority).” Frances Nunziata will be establishing a working group to manage the issues surrounding the sale of the property improving the property’s appearance and ensuring that the meat-packing plant is respectful to the community a founder of the local environmental advocacy group Black Creek Alliance (BCA) said that upon hearing about the meeting’s outcome “I am worried for my community’s well-being and not hopeful that even if the community were to make concessions with the city and St Helen’s that these promises would be fulfilled or that they would make up for what we have lost,” O’Leary said Rockcliffe-Smythe residents have already given up space to Toronto Hydro’s expansion of the Runnymede transfer station and been notified of the impending closing of Rockcliffe Middle School which said it plans to use the site as a heating will erect a “huge freezer where we walk our dogs and neighbourhood kids play.” our residential streets will be riddled with transport trucks we are at a real risk of exposure to ammonia,” O’Leary said “Despite resident groups like BCA working hard to make neighbourhood improvements how do you make up for those kinds of losses We have been failed by the City of Toronto.” the group will continue to protest the sale while taking action It is calling on Toronto’s integrity commissioner and office of the ombudsman to investigate how the transaction was handled The group alleges “wilful neglect” in allowing public use of contaminated land deemed toxic by The Ministry of the Environment public consultation and “meaningful participatory engagement.” “We won’t be bullied and will not back down Reneging on the deal with St Helen’s Meat may be costly for the City of Toronto but it’s a small price compared to the price that the people of Toronto pay when their city government and regional agencies refuse to manage and mitigate inevitable future flood risk,” BCA said in a statement EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated from its original version to identify the Ministry of the Environment as the body that deemed the land toxic the Toronto neighbourhood with the most 311 complaints about snow and ice removal The city does not clear Stoneham’s sidewalk — but it does plow the same street a short distance to the east The city of Toronto’s map of sidewalk “no plow” zones shows off her winter boots with built-in studs for walking on icy sidewalks The city says its network of “no plow zones” exists because some sidewalks don’t meet criteria for clearing Critics says it’s the legacy of a pre-amalgamation inequity that benefits suburban areas with relatively few pedestrians the Star delves into 311 data to see what our concerns say about the city we look at an issue that’s top of mind as the temperature drops: snow clearing Gina Stoneham’s sidewalk does not get plowed by the city Both women live on Pritchard Ave. mostly residential stretch of west Toronto’s Rockcliffe-Smythe neighbourhood makes the cut for city sidewalk snow clearing Manzano says the city usually shows up to clear the sidewalk in front of her home “within 24 hours.” the western part often turns into a treacherous icy pass “I am so paranoid that my husband bought me a pair of boots last year for Christmas that flip out these spikes,” says the 64-year-old The neighbourhood’s winter partition hints at a deeper divide in the city But in a vast and complicated Toronto “no plow zone” — which includes stretches of sidewalks in the old cities of Toronto York and East York — residents are responsible for clearing the sidewalk in front of their own properties The city says it’s because those sidewalks don’t meet criteria for clearing — that they’re too narrow or there are other obstacles such as utility poles Critics says it’s the legacy of a pre-amalgamation inequity that’s been carried on The no-plow areas are an issue pedestrian and seniors advocates say puts people of all ages at risk A Star analysis of 2018 snow- and ice-related calls to 311 broken down by the first three postal code digits found the most calls (165) came from the west Toronto area that includes Rockcliffe-Smythe Those statistics cover complaints in 19 categories spokesperson for pedestrian advocacy group Walk Toronto “The places where we have the most people using sidewalks and where we have the greatest density of people are the places where we don’t actually clear snow and ice from the sidewalk.” “The old city of Toronto didn’t plow its sidewalks and the suburbs did and when they amalgamated they didn’t want to spend the extra money to actually expand sidewalk clearing through the old city of Toronto,” he says The city’s 311 complaints show fewer calls about snow removal in the downtown core closer to the waterfront There’s a concentration of snow complaints in the west-end neighbourhoods around Rockcliffe-Smythe that would fall into the “some sidewalks cleared as well as in the east Beaches/western edge of Scarborough Per capita, the western chunk of the old ward of Scarborough Southwest — which also had the most overall noise complaints — topped the list for snow- and ice-related grumbles Out of the roughly 7,000 kilometres of sidewalk in Toronto about 5,900 are plowed mechanically by the city according to city spokesperson Eric Holmes equipment cannot safely clear using mechanical means due to encroachments and existing structures (e.g narrow sidewalk etc.),” wrote Holmes in an email The city offers free sidewalk clearance for seniors and people with disabilities who live in these areas does not meet the criteria for sidewalk snow removal is cleared because it’s considered a school route the city has issued just four notices of inspection in response to complaints across Toronto and they were resolved without fines to homeowners This logic of plowing some areas but not others leaves “a critical piece” of snow clearance missing director of the Toronto Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT) who calls on the city to clear all sidewalks even though they can be fined for not clearing their stretches of sidewalk within 12 hours of snowfall “For many people this is the way that they move around the city,” she said “The people who are held prisoner in their homes tend to be the elderly or people with disabilities A 2016 Toronto Public Health report found there were almost 30,000 emergency department visits and 2,800 hospitalizations among Toronto residents due to falls on snow or ice from 2006 to 2015 This cost the provincial health-care system almost $4 million per year and the city $6.7 million a year in insurance liability claims And most falls happen in the areas that the city does not clear “I can’t afford to fall down and break my hip because I work for myself,” she said adding it’s unfair there’s sidewalk clearing in some areas and not others she thinks the whole neighbourhood is “neglected,” and often seems to be last on the list when it comes to road plowing Rockcliffe-Smythe Community Association co-chair Miriam Hawkins notes it has “wide streets and sidewalks,” sitting up against the western edge of Etobicoke So there’d “be no issue” with them being too narrow to plow — if that’s why the city isn’t doing it “It almost sounds like they’re not committed anywhere in Toronto but if you’re lucky they might do it,” she says But as the dual global “mega-trends” of an aging population and climate change intersect cities need to start paying more attention to snow clearing formerly known as the Canadian Association of Retired Persons It’s going to get much more complicated,” she said with more older adults and more extreme storms Part 1: Toronto is known for dead raccoons and potholes. The city’s 311 nerve centre knows this reputation is well-earned Part 2: Is this the noisiest neighbourhood in Toronto? Please enter your email and we'll send you a new password request code There are still some reasonable starter homes left in the 6ix Toronto homes notoriously sell at million-dollar price tags even when they look like glorified tool sheds if you're on a budget there is still a little bit of hope the city does occasionally list homes that are somewhat reasonably priced and most of them are far from terrible looking Here's a list of some of the city's best properties under the million-dollar price tag some of these might need a little bit of TLC Veronica Key | RE/MAX Description: The home is located within a quiet neighbourhood in Kennedy Park and features a bright View Here Ray Cochrane | RE/MAX Description: A sizeable starter home that offers plenty of space to those looking to start a family View Here Raza Azizi | RE/MAX Description: A unique four-bedroom home that features a kitchen for an inspiring chef View Here Geoffrey Patrick Grace | RE/MAX Description: A spacious home that could benefit from some renovations View Here Frank Crisafi | RE/MAX Description: This tiny slice of property might not be much to look at right now but with the right renovations you could turn the lot into your dream home View Here Paul D Butler | RE/MAX Description: A starter home that offers plenty of opportunity for those willing to build it up over time View Here We built a Welcome tour we highly recommend Your free account has now been created. 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