The Changing of York Mills & Yonge

York Mills and Yonge and more specifically, Yonge and Wilson Avenue’s commuter parking lot on the north west corner of Yonge and Wilson/York Mills, currently is accessible for commuters to access the York Mills/Yonge Subway system. It currently holds 260 parking spaces. This parking lot has been a bonus for commuters living in the area and taking the TTC to work or to recreational activities. Many local residents and commuters still are not aware of what lies ahead.  While the bus depot was under construction, the lot was used primarily for the TTC. Cars were not permitted. Since the repair was completed, the inconvenience of not having parking, is now “back to normal.”

However, since July 2010, Build Toronto, which is the city’s arm’s-length real estate agency, has been in the process of transforming this property into a planned 8 storey mixed-use office building.  The plan was approved by the North York Community Council in June 2010, but with the revision to a 7 storey building.   Slated to start construction sometime in 2012, the new plan calls for up to 370 underground parking spaces. Confusing!! Is it to be 7 storey’s high or 8 storey’s high?? Residents and local rate payer associations are concerned with the traffic patterns that will affect the neighbourhood. Unfortunately our City Council has often been vague in detail of full disclosure to the public, and then push through what they see as their vision and not seriously consider the local residents’ concerns.

Located in the prestige Hogg’s Hollow neighbourhood, this office building has concerned the local residents who feel that the parking spaces available are far less than for the numbers of people who will be employed in this building. More traffic congestion. And no more parking for commuters.

But this is not all!  The parking lot located at 4155 Yonge Street, beside the Jolly Miller Tavern, is also slated for development.  Parking is a premium in the neighbourhood.  Commuters need some spaces to park their vehicles.  As development of parking lots seem to be the new agenda of Toronto’s Build Toronto agency, and new office buildings pop up, the face of Hogg’s Hollow and Yonge and York Mills is changing rapidly.   Daily parking rates in an office building, will definitely be more expensive than the current daily fees in the municipal parking lots.  And if this property becomes a residential building??? Definitely no public access for parking.

A possible solution: the use of TTC buses by adding routes within the Hogg’s Hollow Neighbourhood and the York Mills-Bridle Path Neighbourhoods and these will need to be increased in times and frequency to bring commuters to the Subway.  The TTC is cash strapped as is…so the question remains, will the city council consider all the ramifications that the lack of commuter and public parking has in the Hogg’s Hollow Neighbourhood??

If you have any questions about Hogg’s Hollow and the York Mills Neighbourhood, please feel free to contact me by email: susan@susanmacarz.com