Focus

We hear you Cabbagetowners! Snow removal and maintenance of sidewalks is problematic for many residents. The 2013 survey showed mixed results however 52% of respondents (98/188) reported that they do not agree that snow removal is managed well in Cabbagetown (note: score <=5).

Who is responsible for snow removal from sidewalks?
Well, home owners and businesses are. To the dismay of many residents, the City of Toronto divested snow removal and much of its winter maintenance to private homeowners and businesses due to the width of city sidewalks in older downtown neighbourhoods.

Motorists expect roadways to be accessible and passable in all seasons; pedestrians and cyclist should be treated with the same consideration. As such, numerous community and advocacy groups have voiced their concerns via letters to City Council and Transportation Service; in sum, these groups as well as many resident associations want Transportation Services to expand winter maintenance programs to all areas of the city and especially the downtown core.

Parking in Cabbagetown can be an eventful affair for both residents and visitors and the popularity of our beautiful neighbourhood in the summer months only brightens the light on the intricacies of our one way streets, narrow lanes and high demand for on-street parking.

In our 2013 Community Survey, we had plenty of feedback about on-street parking, parking hours and parking permits with 50% of respondents indicating that parking is problematic and the majority of respondents feel that residents should have parking priority day and night. We will be liaising with the Parking Enforcement Unit of the Toronto Police to identify specific parking issues as they relate to Cabbagetown and to gain clarity on a number of issues that were brought up by members in our most recent survey. If you have any specific concerns as it relates to parking, please email us at info@cabbagetowner.com.

Owning a vehicle in the city may not always be the most efficient way to “get around” and your vehicle may remain parked for long periods of time, either in your private lane way or on the street. If you do leverage street parking, please be courteous to your neighbours and ensure your vehicle is parked safely and as close as possible to the others around it to maximize the street parking space we have. In addition, the following parking infractions do not require a sign to be enforced:

Park – Obstruct lane way or driveway = $40.00 Fine
Park – 3m from a Fire Hydrant = $100.00 Fine
Park – More than 30cm from a curb = $15.00 Fine
Park – Longer than 3 hours without a permit = $15.00 Fine
Park – In accessible parking location = $450 Fine
Park – Fire Route = $250 Fine

Due to the unique character and architecture of Cabbagetown, we are a prime location for Film and Television shoots and have had a busy 12 months which has lead to parking disruptions on affected streets both large and small. Our survey results on the impact of Film and Television crews in our neighbourhood was unsurprisingly mixed. Residents appreciate the attention as well as tolerate the inconvenience. To help offset this inconvenience, we have recently started dropping in on the film shoots and requesting a donation to our community. We have had tremendous success and plan to allocate these funds to our annual community events – most notably, the Forsythia Festival and the Pumpkin Walk. We ask for your assistance in identifying the film shoots – please send a quick email to us at info@cabbagetowner.com.

As you know, we recently conducted a survey to gauge which issues are of most concern to local area residents.

What we heard, loud and clear, is that you care about our tree canopy and are concerned about preserving it. 64 per cent of you are concerned about the loss of trees in Cabbagetown. This very clear majority is understandable given the recent ice storm, which wreaked havoc on trees across Toronto. We share your concern.

That’s why we’re working closely with a new non-profit organization, Cabbagetown Releaf to promote a larger, healthier urban forest through community planting, tree care, tree protection, education, and advocacy.

We are very excited to see all of the work that’s been accomplished by Cabbagetown Releaf’s Board and Steering Committee, for example in advocating for new trees in both Wellesley and Riverdale Park.

You can get involved by:
– Calling 311 if you see a tree that has been damaged or is in need of pruning.
– Protecting the critically important roots of your trees – Avoid digging, tilling or excavating near trees.
– Planting a tree! It costs nothing and will add beauty to our neighbourhood and increase your property value!
– Becoming a Cabbagetown ReLeaf Tree Steward – you’ll meet lots of likeminded people and help raise awareness of local urban forest issues.

The steps you take today – no matter how small – will benefit our tree canopy for years to come.

For more information on our Tree Canopy work, visit that section of our website at:
http://cabbagetowner.com/focus/canopy/

In our recent survey, we had a wide range of responses from residents regarding wildlife in the area. The topic of wildlife is timely, as it’s “National Wildlife Week“!

Many of you wrote to defend the right of animals to be in the neighbourhood, and many were upset about the shooting of the local coyote last year. There were also many people who, while sympathetic, told tales of trying to remove possums from bathrooms, and raccoons and squirrels from attics at great expense and effort. Feeding wild animals was widely criticized since they can become dependent on the food, and often leave food in others’ yards. Skunks, wild cats, termites, ants…all causes of concern. Although not technically wildlife, there were many comments concerning dog owners who don’t clean up after their dogs also. Ensuring that bins are properly secured was the top recommendation from residents.

So…now that Spring is in the air, Cabbagetowners – including all of our community creatures – are becoming more active and we have some tips.

Everyone should be reminded that those garbage containers that were left alone in the deep freeze of winter are once again the buffet repository for hungry racoons. Make sure to racoon-proof your garbage container lids as best you can (my personal recommendation is Raccoon Check – I’ve used them for 11 years and no raccoon has ever managed to get in to my compost bin. Unfortunately, they’re hard to find since Home Hardware stopped carrying them but they can still be found online). Some residents wrote that they freeze their compost, and put it out in the green bin on pickup morning (I’m sure there are some raccoons that still like compostcicles, but leaving it until the morning of pickup is a good strategy).  Also, be aware that pets roaming free are at a risk of coming in contact with emerging skunks especially in the hours of dusk and dawn – keep them close. The helping hand of providing food to wild animals can be of some benefit in harsh conditions as was the case this winter (See comment below) but now is the time to ween them off human handouts and let them forage. Animals becoming too dependent on humans for their food supply are the first to be identified as a nuisance and can require relocation.

The Canadian Wildlife Federation has some excellent resources for how we can live (or at least cope…) with many animals – including raccoons and squirrels:
Raccoons
Squirrels