Dear Residents of Brooklawn,  if we wish to keep our neighbourhood as it is for the reasons stated below, we need to act now. I encourage you to email our Councillor who has currently not supported residents on Chine Drive who will also be forced into getting a sidewalk- much more understandably since there is a school.

His email is councillor_crawford@toronto.ca It took several attempts but I was able to get a response. Perhaps if we raise our voices in opposition, the city will have to listen. 

I am in the process of speaking to the TTC as well as the City Planners responsible for the designation of our street as a "collector" road. My hope is that we can change this designation and thus eliminating the need for the sidewalk. From my ventures so far, this seems to be the path of less friction which would me most effective.

Please email me at: mihaela.andrei@peelsb.com with any comments, ideas or anything you may wish to share, even if it is in disagreement. 

What I am most opposed to in all this, is how we have been completely glossed over and not consulted about our neighbourhood and how this seemingly minute change would acutely affect our everyday life. 

The two letters we have received in the mail have been the usual limited information and promises of keeping us in the loop when decisions are already being made without us. 

Here are the communications that I have sent to our Councillor Crawford so far which explain why I am so strongly opposed to the sidewalks being forced on us. 

Thank you, 

Mihaela Andrei   

Dear Councillor Crawford, Let me first thank you for your letter informing our community of the proposed sidewalk installation along Brooklawn Avenue in Scarborough Southwest. I have to say I am completely against this construction taking place. While I understand that it is the City's policy to promote safety and accessibility through the installation of sidewalks, I believe that the trade off in our neighborhood would not be worthwhile. 

I strongly believe that sidewalk installation along Brooklawn is neither warranted nor desirable. If safety is the concern, research has shown that installing sidewalks in established neighborhoods creates a speeding issue as drivers feeling more comfortable that pedestrians will stick to the sidewalk and they do not have to slow for foot traffic or children playing in the street. 

We have a significant family population whose children play in the street, who walk their pets in the street, who take whole family walks in the street; emphasis on in the street. If you look back at the reports of pedestrian accidents, I doubt you would find any on our street; especially incidents of speeding. The only pedestrian accident which was tragic and resulted in loss of precious life was a garbage truck hitting a pedestrian in our neighbourhood but not on our street. Currently people feel comfortable, at ease and confident walking in the street. It could be perhaps the "neighborhood" feel of no sidewalks, the street being larger, drivers being careful and conscientious to accommodate foot traffic as there are no sidewalks. I am also concerned about the beautiful trees that currently line our street. Putting in sidewalks would surely require the removal of many of these trees which add such beauty and value to our neighborhood. 

The last concern I have is perhaps tertiary and might seem unreasonable, but having lived in Scarborough since I was 9, I have had personal experience and appreciation for the feel of cohesive neighborhoods and how frail and delicate that dynamic is, and how easily it can be destroyed by sidewalks. 

The matter of cost and where the funds are coming from to pay for this project... I assume it is taxpayer money of course but just how much? When I spoke to your office, I was told the cost is "negligible" but they could not give me a figure or even an idea. Similar projects have cost upwards of 10dollars a week per taxpayer in the neighbourhood. 

I hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience in regards to this matter and our very valid concerns. Having spoken to other residents on the street, I am not alone in my feelings of strong opposition to this policy.

2nd communication with Gary Crawford

Good morning Gary, Having spoken to Ray at your office several times now, I appreciate his patience and sharing of information in regards to the sidewalk being installed on our street despite the residents being vehemently against it. Please see below my email for an excerpt from News Radio in Mapleton from Tuesday, June 04, 2013. Clearly in Mapleton, such decisions, even though they are city policy are questioned by homeowners and the mayor and other city officials are taking these homeowners into account by having a public meeting and seeing what, if anything can be done about this. 

After speaking to Scott Mitchell, he made it clear that this is city policy and they are going ahead with this program because there is a bus route thus deeming our street a collector road. A bus route which I repeat is but a detour; unnecessary as its ridership is so low. I had the pleasure of chatting with the bus driver at rush hour yesterday and at 5:01, he had 1 passenger on the bus. At its peak, a total of 5 riders for the day, this bus could use another street, with existing sidewalks. Such issues/ideas could and should be discussed at a public meeting. 

I am incensed that this matter does not warrant further discussion and a public meeting. We need to address other concerns that are not being taken into account by the census/programs and even visits to evaluate the road. I plan on petitioning the neighbourhood with the help of other neighbours to change the designation of the road to just local and not collector. I plan on writing the TTC and discussing with those in charge of Road Classification and Sidewalk policy and I have obtained their contact info. Gary, as an elected member, I would hope and expect that you would be attentive to the concerns of the homeowners in your ward and that you would be willing to take our concerns and help us resolve them instead of implementing, approving or enforcing yet another unnecessary policy that residents and homeowners highly oppose. 

I would love to hear from you personally on this matter and can be reached after 4pm any day of the week. Several times I have phoned after 4 and have been unable to reach you. Is this outside of your hours perhaps? This issue is not resolved and the latest letter we received from you is less than encouraging and disheartening as to how residents and homeowners are taken into account when decision-making happens that directly affects them. I would appreciate a reply back with what avenues we can further explore to take action against the sidewalk being installed against our will on Brooklawn Avenue. It is interesting that everyone is very forthcoming with contact information but no one is willing to do the legwork to further the matter. If the City were but an information/contact bank, perhaps it should all just be available on the internet in a searchable databank. I was under the impression that Elected City Officials hold their post in order to help residents with their concerns, actively and as if the concern was their own.

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