Correspondence - City Councillor

January 25 2007, From Jutta Mason to Barry Peters, assistant to City Councillor Mark Grimes.

Ward 6 City Councillor Mark Grimes

It was good talking to you on the phone. To recap:

It's clear that there are many other potential parking spaces near Lerette Manor, and when I called the City about this about 10 years ago (when Lerette Manor opened), they said they'd try to address this problem. That may have got lost in the shuffle. Now that there are even more housing units in that area, and hopefully even more helpful visitors for the older people, it's time to try again.

Please let me know what Councillor Grimes' office intends to do to start the process. I would like to suggest setting up a site meeting with the transportation person who will be in charge of this issue, just to get the process started with the right information. I would be happy to adjust my schedule to come to that meeting, to tell the transportation investigator about my ten-year experience of the traffic patterns there (including the bus traffic). I think that it would also be good to invite a TCHC staff person, since they have an interest in supporting their tenants.

Feb.7 2007, from Jutta Mason to Barry Peters, assistant to City Councillor Mark Grimes

You may recall that I spoke to you on January 25, about the inadequate parking on 12th Street near Lerette Manor, where my mother lives. Since then, my brother and I have taken some measurements of possible on-street parking places. We calculate that there are between 20 and 30 parking spaces that can be added within a block. All of these spaces would most likely be taken by visitors or by people who live there, since the area is remote from shopping.

Our calculation is based on one-side street parking. In central Toronto, where I live, every residential street (with or without a bus route) has extensive on-street parking, all of it licensed by permit overnight.

According to our measurements, the streets in the area of Lerette Manor are 28 feet wide and have almost no on-street parking. For comparison, Gladstone Avenue, a two-way street near my house, is 24.5 feet wide, and has parking all along one side.

lots of space, no parking

artists' co-op, illegal parking only

no parking - new construction -- front truck has ticket

not a bus route - only five spaces

no bus route - no parking

no bus route - no parking

I note also that none of the streets near Lerette Manor are a bus "turn-around" as someone has suggested.

So I would now request the following:

1. a copy of the code relating to street parking as it has been applied to the area near Lerette Manor, with an explanation of how it differs from the code that applies to central Toronto

2. a date for a site visit with a planning staff person and yourself, to be attended also by a TCHC staff person and by any Lerette Manor resident or their family member who wishes to attend

3. A timeline for addressing this concern, including a date for discussion at community council of there are blocks.

I look forward to your response. Hopefully the councillor's office can help to fix this problem very soon. The building superintendent of Lerette Manor has pointed out three public bulletin boards on the main floor, and I will try to make sure that all correspondence relating to this issue is posted there.

No response, so on Feb.19, while at City Hall for a meeting, Jutta asked to see Councillor Grimes' assistant. They spoke for a few minutes. Jutta asked him to confirm in an e-mail what he had said to her, and he said he'd do it right away.

Feb.19 2007, from Jutta Mason to Barry Peters, assistant to City Councillor Mark Grimes

Nice to talk to you out in the hallway at City Hall today. When I got home, I didn't find an e-mail from you, so I'm re-sending my question, to be clear.

Please write me a quick note just repeating what you told me --

1. that you're working on scheduling a site meeting

2. that it will hopefully be within the next two weeks, and

3. that Councillor Grimes may try to be present as well.

I would like to put up some progress reports on the bulletin boards at Lerette Manor, and an e-mail from the Councillor's office would be a help.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone, with tape measures in hand and copies of the code, on 12th Street very soon. I'm sure this can be resolved so that visitors and relatives of the people who live on those streets have less trouble finding a nearby parking space.

Feb.23 2007, from Barry Peters, assistant to City Councillor Mark Grimes, to Jutta Mason

I just want to get a few more pieces of information and some confirmations before the Councillor will commit to putting up notices just yet. I want to hear back from Transportation Staff first just to see what exactly this process will entail and how long it will take. It is my intention to organize a meeting with all the players, including having Councillor Grimes present, but I just want to get the history and possible future action first. I spoke with Transportation today and they are going to have an answer for me first thing next week - at which point I will contact you, of course.

This has been a problem for about 10 years or so as you have mentioned and so it's not going to hurt to wait a couple of more days.....well, at least I hope not!

March 1, 2007, from Jutta Mason to Barry Peters, assistant to City Councillor Mark Grimes

178 apartments, 5 street parking spaces

You will note that my initial phone call to you was on January 25, and I see that you called Transportation on Feb.23. You said you would contact me "first thing next week," i.e. four days ago, but I have had no further news from you. You said it wouldn't hurt for this issue to wait a few more days, but on Tuesday when I went to get my mother for a doctor's appointment, all five parking spots were taken again. And if I get another ticket tomorrow -- yes, it will hurt.

Please set a date for a site meeting now, and forward me the street parking code information that I asked for on February 7. This problem is very inexpensive to resolve. With meters it can generate regular parking income for the city, and the friends/relatives of the 178+ seniors who live there will no longer get $30 tickets when they visit. As it stands now, the people who visit other residents of this development are also stuck, and as you see in my web site photos, even the construction workers at the new apartments have no way to avoid a ticket. A bad situation.

March 3, 2007, from Barry Peters, assistant to City Councillor Mark Grimes to Jutta Mason

I have contacted City staff as I had previously advised you. They are conducting an investigation to review the site and all possible angles and an onsite meeting unprepared is not the best idea. Once they provide our office with their findings and possible solutions, we will arrange an onsite meeting with the Tenant representative of Lerette Manor, as well as any TCHC staff that need to be there.

This issue, as you have clearly stated in previous conversations, has been going on for over 10 years and a solution isn't just as simple as installing meters. This is a bus route, it is already a congested area of traffic, there is parking available on Lake Shore Blvd. W., and proper locations of additional parking need to be planned appropriately and properly.

I am in regular contact with Transportation Services and as I receive updates, I will let you know.