April 21, 2009, 7 e-mails

M. D. wrote:

Will Sh. confirm to the group the question she will be asking?

S. wrote:

I'm sure Ch. will ask an appropriate question -- she's committed to the cause and has been a terrific representative for the community on this issue!

S. R. wrote:

Hello

Ch. will do her best to incorporate your concerns in the question to Minister Bradley but she will only have the opportunity to ask one question as well as present the petition (which has been sent to Ciara to distribute).

Ch. will acknowledge those in the gallery as well.

C. wrote:

I concur. 1. noise 2. vibration 3. damage to health 4. damage to property 5.?

M. D. wrote:

To that end should we collectively decide on 5 items/questions to table at Queen's Park?

C. wrote:

Hi everyone,

If you are interested in being at Queen's Park when Ch. brings our petition forward and asks about the West Toronto Diamond costruction project, please contact Susan Rogers at Cheri's office with your name and phone number so you can attend.

The idea would be that Ch. would bring our issue forward to the Minister of Transport during Q & A period and we would be there to respresent the community('s outrage).

Hope to see a good turn out!

S. wrote:

A community meeting was held April 20 to bring members of the Junction community up to date about efforts to force GO Transit to modify its construction methods on the West Diamond grade separation.

MP Gerard Kennedy, MPP Cheri DiNovo and Councillor Gord Perks attended the meeting.

Cheri DiNovo said that the noise and vibration residents are having to live through is "completely and absolutely unacceptable". She said GO Transit has been "completely intransigent and unresponsive" to residents complaints. "There are alternative methods (of construction) that are less invasive (but) they're not using them."

She told residents that "we need to make more noise than the pile drivers".

Darryl Sherwin, speaking on behalf of the West Diamond Leaders Group, updated the community on the application to the Canadian Transportation Agency for mediation. The Canadian Transportation Agency is an independent federal agency responsible for dispute resolution and economic regulation in the Canadian transportation industry.

GO has 30 days to agree to the mediation, he said, but, with about two weeks remaining, they have not yet agreed or refused.

Gerard Kennedy told the community there should be public recourse "to get some normalcy back in your lives". He said GO has completely failed to be a good citizen, paying staff to "stonewall" the community. Gerard Kennedy also said GO may be afraid of mediation because the test that will be applied is whether the situation is unreasonable and the solution reasonable.

Saying that the community needs an independent, neutral expert to evaluate what's possible in terms of reducing the noise and vibration, he said he's asked GO to provide the community with funding to hire experts.

Gord Perks provided background and information in answer to a number of the community's questions and outlined the kind of public consultation process being undertaken on large infrastructure projects like the straightening of Dufferin. He said he had learned from City staff that the "silent" pile driving method costs about $15,000 compared with $7,000 for the diesel explosion method currently being employed.

An audience member was applauded when she said "If they couldn't afford to do it right, they shouldn't be doing it."

Stories about the health, lifestyle, financial, physical and emotional impacts of the pile driving were collected from the community. If you weren't able to attend, please send your story to sra@focusedcreative.com.

There has been news coverage today about the meeting on the CBC. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/04/21/go-noise.html