CWNA's lane naming project continues, adding character and history to previously anonymous alleys.  

Dapper Lane at 66 Wellesley E. -  The intersection of Church and Wellesley is a hub for barbers whose skills are well known throughout the city. For decades barbers have practiced their trade here, ensuring decades of loyal customers.  What better way to recognize their talent and dedication than with a lane named in their honour.
 
Anvil Alley at 511 Church St. celebrates the long tradition of small businesses in the Village. Dudley's Hardware, founded in 1934, continues to provide an invaluable service to the community. Dudley's exemplifies the positive attitude and commitment of small business owners in our Village.

Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam officiated the naming ceremony on January 24. 
After the unveiling of the new signs, Dudley's Hardware hosted a community social.  ​

There are many reasons the CWNA has been proactive in getting alleys in our neighbourhood named. The Laneway Project, a  Toronto not-for-profit dedicated to improving and activating laneways, summarizes them as:

Safety and Security - A laneway with a name helps police, fire and paramedic services find it in the event of an emergency;

Commemorating History - Naming a laneway after a noteworthy person, place, event, etc. is encouraged under Toronto’s street naming policy, and it helps preserve history;

 Placemaking - Naming a laneway gives the lane an identity, and creates a sense of place, which also serves to invite more pedestrian traffic, making it safer;

Community Building - The collaborative process of naming a laneway helps build community connections, good will, and a feeling of neighbourhood pride;
​
​Laneway Improvements - A laneway with a name opens the door to further laneway improvements, such as beautification and community events.

Since its founding in 2010, the CWNA has taken the lead in naming ten lanes in our neighbourhood.  The next one, located just east of Church, running south from Isabella. 
​

The Independent Civilian Review into Missing Persons Investigations, led by former Court of Appeal Judge Gloria Epstein, was formed to address concerns about the way the Toronto Police Service conducts missing persons investigations, particularly when the missing people belong to vulnerable or marginalized communities or communities that have legacy issues with the Toronto Police Service.

The Review was established following the conviction of serial killer Bruce McArthur for the murder of eight men who had connections to Toronto’s LGBTQ2S+ community.

One of the Review’s most recent initiatives was to launch an anonymous online survey to allow for anyone with experience or perspectives on the issue of policing in Toronto to be heard. This means that you can participate and have your opinion considered in the final determination on what recommendations the Review should make for the Toronto Police Service going forward.  

The anonymous survey can be found at: https://missingpersonsurvey.ca/

In December, Manulife Investment Management submitted a development application for a 59 storey rental tower at Church and Charles, where the 7 storey Traders Building presently stands.

Manulife had held two community consultations in the preceeding months. At the second community consultation on October 2, Manulife polled community members as to whether they would choose to preserve the current building's facade or to have the building demolished in exchange for more green space.  

Subsequent to that meeting, Manulife submitted its proposal to the City. The development would be a 59-storey mixed-use building, inclusive of a 6-storey podium which preserves the facade of the Traders Building. The building will house commercial tenants on the lower levels, with 651 residential units in the tower. 

For more information, see the City's Development Application page, and consult our Inteactive Map. https://tinyurl.com/vgkmfjj

A more ambitious project, for which a community consultation was held in April 2017, has been dropped. That concept plan envisioned two towers on Maitland Street of 50 and 29 storeys, with about two-thirds of the previous Green P parking lot designated public park. The new proposal does not include any of the  Green P parking lot.

PlazaCorp's Planning and Urban Design Rationale 

 City Staff Preliminary Report 

The report identifies numerous issues with the proposal, some of which are:

• The height, massing, and scale of the proposal in relation to the existing and planned context;
• Transition in height and massing to adjacent lands; 
• Proposed location of the tower and transition and separation distance to the adjacent low-rise built form;
• Potential shadowing impacts on the adjacent open spaces, public realm and neighbouring properties;
• Interface of the proposed built form with the adjacent public realm; 
• Potential wind impacts on the adjacent properties and public realm.

Local residents will be notified of a community consultation once it is scheduled. 

​For links to further and updated information, see our Interactive Map. 

e CWNA's lane naming project continues, adding character and history to previously anonymous alleys.  

Anvil Alley, just north of Wellesley extending easterly from Church, pays homage to Dudley's Hardware, the long serving hardware store next door. 

Dapper Lane, west of Church Street extending northerly from Wellesley Street, reflects the historic presence of several barbers at Church and Wellesley.

The names were approved by Toronto and East York Community Council on October 10, 2109. 

You're invited to join CWNA and Councillor Kristyn Wong Tam for the naming ceremony on:

Friday, January 24,  10 a.m.
60 Wellesley Street E.

After the unveiling of the new signs, Dudley's Hardware will host a community social.  ​

With Halloween on the way, there are two events, sponsored by the Church Wellesley Village BIA, to look forward to. 

Pumpkins in the Park takes place on Saturday, October 2, from 3:30 to 7:30 in Barbara Hall Park.  

Halloween falls on Thursday, October 31. Church Street will be for pedestrians only from 6 pm onwards, but the best costumes will come out later on. Whether you dress up on not, it's always a fun time on Church Street on Halloween. 

​Manulife Investment Management is proposing a 59 storey rental tower at Church and Charles, where the 7 storey Traders Building presently stands.

At a second community consultation, on October 2, Manulife polled community members as to whether they would choose to preserve the current building facade as the podium of a new tower or to have the building demolished in order to create more green space. Option 1 would allow for 2600 square feet of publicly accessible open space; option 2 would allow for 6300 square feet.   

As a matter of comparison, the new tower on the west side of Church at Charles (including the old Manhattan Apartments) was approved at 47 storeys. The Manulife proposal is still at an early stage; the developer has yet to submit a development application to the City. 

To receive email updates or provide your feedback, contact Manulife at: info@625church.com

​The 2019 edition of the CWNA's Meet Your Neighbours took place in Barbara Hall Park on a sunny Saturday, Sept. 7. This year, we grouped the participating community organizations together near the Church Street side of Barbara Hall Park, which drew in many curious passersby. We had entertainment through the afternoon, starting off with a stellar performance by D'Manda Tension, followed by the Rainbow Ballroom Dancers and a special children's reading by Fay and Fluffy.  All in all it, many neighbours met, making the afternoon a grand success, which we will build on next year.