Police Monitoring Process Initiated

I spoke to Sargent Woods of 53 Division (traffic) and requested a complaint be filed with respect to people running the Oxton-Oriole stop sign.

Sgt. Woods has agreed to open a complaint and assign an officer to investigate.

Will keep you posted.

Regards, Mark

Stop lines now re-painted

The stop lines have now been re-painted as well as the pedestrian crossing lines.

The Police have not as yet returned my phone calls regarding police monitoring of intersection.

Keep you posted, Mark

Police Monitoring Needed At Intersection

I was down at the corner this morning today watching traffic, something I have not done for a while and observed in the space of about 10 minutes some 40 cars (out of around 55) sail through the stop sign.

As a result I've now called the local police division to request police monitoring and ticket issuance. They haven't called back yet, but I'll keep you posted.

Regards, Mark

Stop Lines To Be Re-painted...

Some of you may have noticed that the car stop line at Oxton-Oriole has faded badly. A quick call to Transportation Services has resolved the matter and I'm told that the line will be re-painted ASAP.

Many thanks to Michelle at transportation Services.

Regards, Mark

Lines Painted On Road

Good news...

Yesterday Transportation Services completed the missing road makings....

I may have taken a month to get the lines painted (following the stop sign install), but their her now!

Maybe just me but it's alot quieter around her now don't you think...

Regards, Mark

Stop Sign In - Just Need The Lines

Our stop sign was installed last week and now we're waiting for the painted lines and "Pedestrian wait for the gap" signs to be removed.

A quick email to Transportation Services has revealed that they are waiting for warmer/dryer weather before finishing the remaining outstanding work.

Let's hope it's soon!

Regards, Mark

(Special thanks to Councillor Michael Walker for helping making this possible)

Stop Sign Approved By Toronto Council

We've done it!

The Toronto City Council approved our stop sign for Oxton-Oriole September 25th, 2006 with alteration.

I'm just waiting for the installation date following the neccessary by-law changes - should be any day now.

For more information see "Petition Progress."

Regards, Mark

Submission To Toronto & East York Community Council

Read my deposition to the Toronto & East York Community Council Meeting September 19th, 2006.

Regards, Mark

Councillor Walker Asks For Safety Depositions...

As most of you know Councilor Walker recently conducted a survey as to whether or not people wanted a stop sign to be re-installed at the corner of Oxton-Oriole.

With the results 86 in favour and only 40 against Councillor Walker will take the results back to the East York Community Council and ask for the stop sign be re-installed.

The city is likely to try to refuse unless there is community support for the proposal. To help him win this battle on your behalf he is requesting depositions* be presented to the council. This is your opportunity to do advocate on behalf of your personal safety.

Please let me know (oriloleatoxton@hotmail.com) if you are interested in either attending in person or submitting a written deposition to the East York Community Council session in Septemeber (details to follow) outlining why you think a stop sign should be installed at this corner.

The more depositions the stronger the case.

Many thanks, Mark

* A written statement and/or presentation outlining to council why you believe the corner of Oxton at Oriole is dangerous for pedestrians and requires the stop sign to be re-installed.

Results of Recent Neighbourhood Survey...

As most of you know Councillor Michael Walker recently conducted a local neighbourhood survey in an attempt to determine how many people wanted the stop sign at Oxton & Oriole re-installed.

This survey followed the poorly attended community meeting on the same proposal above and is a crdit to Councillor Walker and his team that continued to pursue the issue in light of of the poor turnout.

The results came back as follows:

86 - In Favour
40 - Against
3 - Spoiled

As a result Councilor walker's team is to go back to our Community Coucil and seek approval for 9 month trial starting in September 2006.

Mark

"Toronto's Killer Drivers..."

The Toronto Sun's front page headline screamed yesterday "Toronto's Killer Drivers."

And for good reason! In the first 10 weeks of this year, Toronto has recorded 16 traffic accident deaths, 9 of which have been pedestrians. In total that's 7 more traffic deaths then at the same time last year. Can anyone really be surprised? I know I'm not! Drivers in this city have to be some of the worst I've seen anywhere in N.A. or Europe.

With most bad driving situations I've seen in this city the driver seems completely oblivious to what is going on around them and the effect they having on traffic - "bubble driving" I call it! Then, of course, there is the rampant red light running and what I like to refer to as "preemptive honking" or" look, I'm hooking 'cause I can, not that I really need too, but hey I feel better now!."

Let's hope we don't have a serious injury or fatality at Oxton-Oriole Parkway!

Regards, Mark (don't forget about the pedestrian safety public meeting March 29th, 2006).

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

Public Flyer Distribution To Date:

So far the "official" public meeting (March 29, 2006 Oriole Parkeway P.S.) flyers originating from Councilor Michael Walker's Office have been distributed to the following buildings:

Completed
100 Oriole Parkway
110 Oriole Parkway
120 Oriole Parkway

This Week (of March 13th)
130 Oriole Parkway
755 Avenue Road

Regards, Mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

Meeting Flyers Being Distributed

Public meeting flyers from Councillor Michael Walker's office are bnow being distributed.

Please show your support by planning to attend the March 29th meeting.

Public Meeting:
March 29th, 2006 (Wednesday)
Oriole Park Public School
80 Breamar Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M5P 2L4
416.393.9215

Time: 7:00PM - 9:00PM

Map To Oriole Park Public School

Don't leave your personal safety for someone else to decide for you!

Please put this date in your calendars and plan to attend.

Regards, Mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

Public Meeting : March 29th, 2006 (7:00PM - 9:00PM)

Councillor Michael Walker's office have now confirmed the date, time and place of the Oxton-Oriole Pedestrian Safety and traffic meeting. Councillor Walker will be in attendance. A flyer will distributed in the neighbourhood alerting people to the purpose of the meeting and the details below:

Public Meeting:
March 29th, 2006 (Wednesday)
Oriole Park Public School
80 Breamar Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M5P 2L4
416.393.9215

Time: 7:00PM - 9:00PM

Map To Oriole Park Public School

Don't leave your personal safety for someone else to decide for you!

Please put this date in your calendars and plan to attend.
Regards, Mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

Public Meeting - Looks Like In March Sometime

Looks like our Public Meeting will be schedules for some time in March.

Should know in a few days according to Michael Walker's constituency office.

Regards, Mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

40Km Signs Now Posted on Oxton

Finally! Late last week 40km speed limit road signs were placed on Oxton Avenue. This is great news!

It seems a bureacratic mix-up delayed the the signs going, but was eventaullay sorted.

Thank you to Councillor Walker for getting approval for this 10km spedd reduction on Oxton.

Still need to get at the meat of the issue and that's pedestrians safety when crossing at Oxton at Oriole.

Regards, Mark
(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

Public Meeting Date Mistake By Councillor Walker's Office

Councillor Walker's office has made a mistake with respect to advising us as to the the date of the Oxton-Oriole pedestrians safety meeting.

The public meeting arranged February 2nd., 2006 at the North Toronto Memorial Community Centre is apparently not for us. However, anyone of us can attend.

I am communicating with Councillor Walker's office to confirm a new date.

Regards, mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

Public Meeting - February 2nd, 2006

Councillor Walker's office have now confirmed the date, time and place of the Oriole traffic meeting. A flyer is to be distributed in the neighbourhood alerting people to the upcoming meeting

Public Meeting Details:

February 2nd., 2006
(Thursday)
North Toronto Memorial Community Centre
200 Eglinton Avenue West
Toronto, Ontario
M4R 1A7
416.392.6591
Time: 7:00PM

Map of North Toronto Memorial Comm:

Don't leave your personal safety for someone else to decide for you!

Please put this date in your calendars and plan to attend.

Regards, Mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

Mayor Suggests Cross Walks Not Safe In Toronto

The Globe and Mail reports today that our mayor, David Millar, suggests that Toronto's crosswalks...should be redesigned to better suite Toronto's "urban environment."

This hardly comforting news when the city expects us to use a crosswalk that is totally out of the way on a street (Oxton Avenue) that sees some 20,000 cars a day go by.

We need lihghts at the corner of Oxton-Oriole!

Regards, Mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

200 Pedestrians Hit By Cars Each Month

Another terrible statistic, but again no real surprise (at least to me and probability to you too)!

Toronto's car crazy culture has resulted in Oxton-Orioles' incediblely stupid "Pedestrian Wait For The Gap Signs" that in the view of many people totally desensitizing drivers to crossing pedestrians.

If you happen to leave near this intersection and want to walk to the subway you have to step into a "lethal" wall of non-stop, moving steel to the tune of 20,000 cars a day on Oxton Avenue

Someone getting hit or killed is what I'm trying to prevent!

Regards, Mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

29 Pedestrians Killed By Cars in 2005

A terrible statistic, but no real surprise (at least to me and probability to you too)!

Toronto's car crazy culture has resulted in Oxton-Orioles' incediblely stupid "Pedestrian Wait For The Gap Signs" that in the view of many people totally desensitizing drivers to crossing pedestrians.

Indeed the attitude of the City's Transportation Services department as it pertains to the corner of Oxton-Oriole is to do nothing as this would interfere with Oxton's 20,000 cars a day traffic flow!

Meanwhile, if you happen to leave near this intersection and want to walk to the subway we now a "lethal" wall of non-stop, moving steel that has pretty well scared off everybody from even attempting to cross at this corner. And, if a car dares to slow down for a pedestrian (or out of fear of this corner as a driver navigating it) the result is chorus of honking.

Not very Toronto Pedestrian Charter friendly for sure.

Regards, Mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

More On The 40km Oxton Speed Signs

Councillor Walker's office advised me today that our 40 km speed signs on Oxton are currently in production and will be going up within the next two weeks.

Good news, but the next BIG EVENT is the soon to be arranged public meeting in eary February at near-by Orion Park School (details to follow). Your attendance and participation at this meeting will keep our pedestrian safety concerns on the radar in 2006.

Regards, Mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

Where Are The 40Km Signs?

Last year it was indicated to me by Councillor Walker that our 40km road signs on Oxton would be up before Christmas (2005).

Well, I haven't spotted them yet...have you?

Looks like I'll have to get onto Councillor Walker's office this week not only our 40km signs and when their going to be installed, but also about the public meeting date Councillor Walker had promised us.

Regards, Mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

Public Meeting Now Slated For February

Due to the upcoming federal election to be held on January 23rd. the Oxton-Oriole Pedestrian safety meeting has been postponed until February 2005.

Councillor Walker's office has promised to provide sufficient advance notice [which will allow me time to get a flyer under your your door (buildings 100, 110, 120, 130 Oriole Parkway) with details of the meeting.

Again, the purpose of this meeting is to allow Councillor Walker to gauge the level of public concern over this intersection so your attendance will be crutial if progress towards safety at the corner of Oxton Avenue and Oriole Parkway is to be made!

Please make a special effort to attend. Seee you there!

Regards, Mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

My Computer Blew Up!

Regular visitors to my site might have come to the conclusion "not much has been happening!" Well, it's really because my computer blew up and I haven't had one (and too busy at work these days) so updating the site has been problematic!

We'll, thanks to my fiance who has let me borrow her computer while mine is out of action, I'm back in action so look for regular updating going forward!

Regards, Mark

Now Even More Cars (2)

Earlier I wrote about the North Hill District Home Owner's Association pressing the city to introduce restrict right turns off Avenue between 7:00am - 9:00am at Hillholmn, Killarney and Kilbarry, suggesting that this will further complicate pedestrian safety.

Well it seems nobody could agree on the changes so the idea has been postponed. We'll see what happens in the future.

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

Now Even More Cars Onto Oxton Avenue...

The North Hill District Home Owner's Association is pressing the city to make road changes that will push even more traffic onto Oxton Avenue (which already sees 20,000 cars a day).

Basically, they want to introduce restrict right turns off Avenue between 7:00am - 9:00am at Hillholmn, Killarney and Kilbarry, further complicating pedestrian safety at the corner of Oxton-Oriole.

To learn more about this proposal visit Councillor Walker's web site.

View an area map

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

Stop Sign Deferred Indefinitely...

It looks like stop sign at Oxton-Oriole has been deferred indefinitely at Community Council (the speed limit change not being a problem) and will be referred back to the works committee for their next meeting January 11, 2006 by Councillor Walker...

Again, we thank Councillor Walker for his efforts on our behalf.

Regards, mark

(You can comment on this post and others by clicking on the "Comment" link below)

Same Crazy Thinking as ROM Building Puts Highway Through Neighbourhood

Is it any wonder the ROM "invisible icon," (love that developer line and especially the citizen that asked what an "invisible building" [icon] looked like) 45 story tall building next door to the museum got canned! Totally, out of context with its environment.

Putting a highway through a residencial neighbourhood (ours) is just as "out of context" as the ROM building was before the project was ended. Egg all round I should think.

Folks, I think we now have a fight on our hands as the city (I exclude Councillor Walker here for the time being) is now lined up against Pedestrian Safety at Oxton-Oriole.

Regards, Mark

Oxton Avenue New 40 Km Signs Up Before Christmas

Word just in from Councillor Michael Walker...

Oxton Avenue's speed reduction from 50 km to the 40 km speed limit has been approved and the new sign limit signs should be up just before Christmas.

If you spot one of the new signs please send me an email me as I'm usually the last to hear about Oxton-Oriole improvements!

Regards, Mark

Drivers Were Car Horn Crazy Last Sunday!

Unbelievable...

That's all I can say! Last Sunday (Nov 7th, 2005) the car horns sounding at Oxton Avenue and Oriole Parkway were the worst I've ever heard them. Those poor people living in the corner building must have gone absolutely "nuts" with the sheer number of totally inconsiderate, irate and impatient drivers passing by their apartments.

The residents of that building will have to get themselves out to the upcoming public meeting regarding the corner of Oxton Avenue and Oriole Parkway. To learn more about this meeting click here.

Regards, Mark

Alarming Rise In Pedestrian Deaths, Toronto's Metro Newspaper Reports

A recent article headline in Toronto's Metro newspaper cites "Reckless drivers, kill 24 , up from 16 last year."

The article went on to say that "there had been a dramatic increase in Toronto's pedestrian fatalities this year...compared with 16 in the corrosponing period in 2004."

In the article Brian Patterson, the President of the Ontario Safety League suggested "a lack of respect for basic road laws" as the culprit describing it as now being an epidemic.

Mr. Patterson went on to say that the "same people who are putting pedestrians at risk, flying through stop signs are the same people who park in fire routes, are the same people who park in handicapped spaces...calling it "reckless behaviour."

I don't think there is anyone living in the vacinity of Oxton Avenue & Oriole Parkway would disagree that our corner has seen its fair share of really ignorant and reckless driving...so much so that is it any wonder we're now forced to run for lives when crossing Oxton at this intersection.

I hope the city read this article too.