Roncesvalles Village Road Reconstruction

The Roncesvalles Village street reconstruction is going ahead starting in August '09

While attending the Roncesvalles MacDonell Residents' Association meeting last night, at Fern Public School, the audience was presented with an articulate powerpoint slide show about the reconstruction plans for the main street, Queen to Dundas, that will improve the streetcar tracks, address watermain issues and at the same time with input from the local BIA and residents association deal with beautification.

This is a constantly improving neighbourhood with a strong voice in municipal planning. Issues on the table are the widening of sidewalks to make space for cafe style merchants, pedestrian bump outs ( sidewalks that encroach the roadway) and the greening of the street with new plantings of trees on the west side of the boulevard (where homes are predominantly residential). The elimination of the tree planting boxes will assist the tree's lifespan, enhance sidewalk space and provide storm water run off catchment basins to assist water drainage. All in all, a very detailed and sensible plan of improvements while other work is the cause of the change. They are also addressing traffic flow, bicycle access and snow collection.

As an aside I was thinking about why there is development on the east side of Roncesvalles and not the west. The same applies to the Bloor west Village strip where commercial properties dominate the North side and not the south. Simply SUNSHINE. The stores and business' with premium loctions had the afternoon sun to assist their merchant activities. Out for a promenade with the pram? You would prefer the sunny side of the street.

The extension of the boulevard (bump outs) also addressed concerns about pedestrian traffic and the location of Copernicus Lodge (retirement home) and the elders skooting across a busy thoroughfare. The bump outs make the distance much shorter. There are already some curb planted bum outs that exist at Fermanagh and Roncesvalles (Royal Bank) and at the Wright Avenue and Roncesvalles (CIBC).

Another project now nearing completion is the Wabash ParkCommunity Recreation Centre that is opening now and is accepting bookings starting January '09.

The Roncesvalles-MacDonell Residents Association was formed in 1973 and meets monthly from August to May, on the last Tuesday of the month.

If you would like to live in Bloor west Village or Roncesvalles Village to enjoy the sense of community and local vibrance, I invite you to contact me regarding finding you, your home.