November 2009, 6 e-mails

November 10

Davenport Diamond grade separation update

November 10, 2009 - 2:59pm — vic

It has been a while since we last heard from GO Transit about the Davenport Diamond Grade Separation Project. The last meeting took place on April 22 2009, with very poor notice given by GO Transit. Some details and slides from that meeting are posted on this website here. In short, this project proposes to grade-separate the railway tracks that run along the east side of our neighbourhood (between Campbell Ave. and Lansdowne) and the CN Tracks on the north side of our neighbourhood (between Dupont and Davenport). This would involve creating a huge wall/overpass or trench east of Campbell Ave., with the possibility closing Wallace Ave. Whatever the outcome of this project is, it will have a major impact on our neighbourhood. In this latest update, we find out that the Davenport Diamond Grade Separation has been rolled into a much larger environmental assessment for the expansion of GO Transit's Barrie Line. Phone: (416) 869-3600 ext. 5211
Fax: (416) 869-1563
E-mail: Greg.Ashbee@gotransit.com
Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Dear Vic:
Subject: Environmental Assessment study update
Davenport Diamond rail-to-rail grade separation
City of Toronto

In the letter we sent you on April 30, we promised to give you an update about the status of the Davenport Diamond project this fall.

At the public sessions we held in April, the feedback you provided and the interest you showed about this project proved just how important this project is to your community. We took your comments about this project into consideration and thanks to your input, we are planning on proceeding with an Environmental Assessment (EA) that will include the Davenport Diamond, the proposed new station at Saint Clair Avenue, and the future rail service expansion on Barrie GO line. For this reason, we will be cancelling the current Davenport Diamond process, in favour of a larger, more comprehensive EA on the Barrie GO line, which will include the Davenport Diamond.

Our next step will be to tender and award a consultant assignment for this new, larger project scope the spring of 2010. We will be coming back to your community to host public open houses and to conduct a feasibility study over the next year, and with the plan to issue a Notice of Commencement in 2011.

To find the most up-to-date information about this project, please visit www.gotransit.com and click on the Projects & Studies button. We value your insight and I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Yours very truly,
Greg Ashbee, P. Eng
Manager, Infrastructure Expansion Planning
Davenport Diamond

Comments

November 13, 2009 - 12:48pm — Anonymous (not verified) 'new, larger project scope?'
'new, larger project scope?' I wonder what they mean by that. Has anyone heard what they have in mind?

I live across the street from Campbell Ave Playground, overlooking the tracks. Working from home, I can't imagine living through years of pile driving and being left with a huge wall/overpass as a souvenir. While I wish they were electric, I don't mind watching the trains go by. Kids seem to enjoy and marvel at the engines. I hope they learned something from the West Toronto Diamond.

November 13, 2009 - 1:28pm — Anonymous (not verified) st clair station?

I specifically asked the GO people about this at the Pelham school night when they presented this and they said the ridership numbers weren't there. I think it would be terrific to be able to go north in the mornings to York without having to take a long ttc bus ride.

November 13, 2009 - 6:26pm — scott d (not verified) Closing Wallace would be hard
Closing Wallace would be hard as it would really hem in the JT and possibly create response issues for fire and police. Never mind the firestorm of protest that would erupt. I just don't see it happening. I think a trench would be the least worst of the worst.

November 20

From: Clean Train Coalition

Hello everyone. Here’s a quick update on recent developments.

As most of you know, Metrolinx is undertaking a comprehensive study of electrification of GO Transit's entire network. This is expected to be completed by December 2010. The study will look at not only the economic costs and benefits of electrification, but also the social, environmental, and community impacts of electric trains versus diesel.

We welcome this study and fully expect it to recommend the electrification of the Georgetown Corridor. The truth is, electrification is the best economic choice, and these other important considerations will only bolster our case. Congratulations are in order, because this study has been initiated thanks to all the public pressure we have applied.

But the fight is far from over. We have to keep up the pressure. Once this study makes the business case for electrification, we need to convince our leaders to follow through. We need to tell them that we expect them to implement the study's recommendations, and that a failure to go with electric trains is fiscally irresponsible, morally bankrupt, and a costly political miscalculation.

Charting Our Course

We have been exploring a number of avenues since the MOE’s decision came down in early October, including filing a complaint with the Ombudsman, further deputations to the Toronto Board of Health, and continuing efforts to arrange meetings with Metrolinx and various government ministers. This weekend, members of the CTC are engaging in an intensive strategy planning session to map out the road ahead. We're excited about this opportunity and expect to emerge re-energized and re-focused. Expect to hear from us soon.

Interested in Becoming More Involved?

If you want to get more actively involved with the CTC, please come to our next meeting on Thursday, November 26 at 7:00pm, at Fern Public School, 128 Fern Avenue in the Roncesvalles Village area.

And our sincere apologies to those of you who showed up for a meeting last week. We rescheduled that meeting until after this weekend's planning session, and failed to remember that notice of that meeting had been sent out with our last update. We’ll try not to make that mistake again! If you can’t make it to the meeting on Nov. 26, but are interested in helping out, you can also email info@cleantrain.ca and let us know how you’d like to be involved.

December 4 - Save the Date

Our friends and supporters, The Clean Train Student Coalition, are planning a rally and march on December 4th. The Electric Youth Rally is being planned by students at Guelph-Humber College, and is intended to highlight how this plan will impact today's youth, who will inherit this legacy. All are welcome. More details to follow.

November 23

A. wrote:

I dug out my last carrotts at the garden plot at Perth and Dupont. The train tracks are the north border of the community garden, trains go by all the time. A freight train rattled along with military machinery, 10 minutes long! It was surreal, camo vehicles after vehicle, only missing the gun barrel. So many, all with one perpuse - to kill! Going where, to Afghanistan? Anyone seen this, or anyone know anything about this?

O. wrote:

There are a number of bases around Ontario (thinking in this area, to name a few - Base Borden, towards Barrie; tank range near Owen Sound; Downsview still has a presence, good old Fort York). The equipment could well be headed to/from any of these places. Or to be shipped out.

I can try to find out more from Duncan if you wish. Equipment is being shipped overseas with regularity (largely as it gets destroyed by IEDs, etc.).

Not a lot of consolation, I know, and a bit of a surprise to see in the middle of TO.

E. K. wrote:

They've bought some of these recently. I think Chrysler puts them together. Look familiar?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RG-31_Nyala

From: Mike Sullivan

Hello everyone. Here's a quick update on recent developments. Please contact info@cleantrain.ca if you you have any questions or comments.

As most of you know, Metrolinx is undertaking a comprehensive study of electrification of GO Transit's entire network. This is expected to be completed by December 2010. The study will look at not only the economic costs and benefits of electrification, but also the social, environmental, and community impacts of electric trains versus diesel.

We welcome this study and fully expect it to recommend the electrification of the Georgetown Corridor. The truth is, electrification is the best economic choice, and these other important considerations will only bolster our case. Congratulations are in order, because this study has been initiated thanks to all the public pressure we have applied.

But the fight is far from over. We have to keep up the pressure. Once this study makes the business case for electrification, we need to convince our leaders to follow through. We need to tell them that we expect them to implement the study's recommendations, and that a failure to go with electric trains is fiscally irresponsible, morally bankrupt, and a costly political miscalculation.

Charting Our Course

We have been exploring a number of avenues since the MOE's decision came down in early October, including filing a complaint with the Ombudsman, further deputations to the Toronto Board of Health, and continuing efforts to arrange meetings with Metrolinx and various government ministers. This weekend, members of the CTC are engaging in an intensive strategy planning session to map out the road ahead. We're excited about this opportunity and expect to emerge re-energized and re-focused. Expect to hear from us soon.

Interested in Becoming More Involved?

If you want to get more actively involved with the CTC, please come to our next meeting on Thursday, November 26 at 7:00pm, at Fern Public School, 128 Fern Avenue in the Roncesvalles Village area.

And our sincere apologies to those of you who showed up for a meeting last week. We rescheduled that meeting until after this weekend's planning session, and failed to remember that notice of that meeting had been sent out with our last update. We'll try not to make that mistake again! If you can't make it to the meeting on Nov. 26, but are interested in helping out, you can also email info@cleantrain.ca and let us know how you'd like to be involved.

December 4 - Save the Date

Our friends and supporters, The Clean Train Student Coalition, are planning a rally and march on December 4th. The Electric Youth Rally is being planned by students at Guelph-Humber College, and is intended to highlight how this plan will impact today's youth, who will inherit this legacy. All are welcome. More details to follow.

Help get the word out - get your neighbours to sign up to http://www.facebook.com/l/e566d;www.cleantrain.ca