City
Parkdale Needs A Plan
Parkdale residents and politicos assembled last night to debate the question "Where Goes The Neighborhood?" The idea was to tackle the hot topic of gentrification. I'd attended hoping that, somehow, we could all band together to create a vision for the wayward community, but hope was not to be found. With widely respected panelists such as Spacing's Matthew Blackett and the brain behind 401 Richmond, Margaret Zeidler, I'd hoped we'd do more than establish affordable housing as a priority and bash the former Harris government. Area MPP Cheri DiNovo stood up for comment too, saying she's asked for 20,000 units of affordable housing to be built in this part of TO. I'm not sure where she intends to put it though, maybe that should have been on the debate agenda instead.
As it stands amongst other Toronto communities, Parkdale currently has a large percentage of renters and, Councilor Gord Perks pointed out, is one of only a few communities that still has legal rooming houses. Perhaps Parkdale is already doing its fair share to support those in the city with lower incomes and it may not have the infrastructure in place to help the resource dependant community. Parkdale is like Kensington was years ago, a place where newcomers to Toronto settle and try to build a future. Many young families are moving in as well, renovating homes and taking pride in their new neighborhood. No one wants any displacement of current residents however, so what it needs is a plan for growth and a way to ensure that rent and property taxes don't skyrocket.
Businesses in the area are also seeing a shift. There is a much smaller percentage of variety and grocery stores, while home decor and reno stores are gaining popularity. However, commercial vacancy currently sits at 13%, making me think that gentrification isn't the real problem. I can think of a few new cafes and bars in Parkdale too but nothing too chichi or chic that it's going to get condo-dwellers buying into the "dream" of living right in the middle of the action. Ultimately it's the high-rise condos that will anchor Queen Street West, in Parkdale's neighboring ward just east of the tracks, that frighten Parkdale residents. Though, it could bring more focus westward and Parkdale could begin to see some necessary improvements. Perhaps it'll start with a few new facades, some new parks, a community centre, then a renovated building or two. There's so much promise in Parkdale, all that's needed is a plan and a way to ensure it includes all kinds of people. That's the only way Parkdale will retain its unique charm and character.
image: Kevin Steele
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Comments like yours make me furious. Do us (and by "us", I mean the educated, artistic, socially involved, professional, culturally diverse, interesting residents of Parkdale) a favour and "like", stay in the boring, yuppie Beaches where you belong.
I'm sure there are much calmer, nicer streets in the neighborhood. I just haven't been down any of them, nor do I have much reason to, for the time being. Hopefully things change a bit so I don't feel like I'm gonna get jacked while strolling through. If things do change in that way, then T.S., my hippy ass will be coming by more often, "like", totally.
(I'm also just kind of crotchety and dislike the trust-fund artists that plague my area now.)
I don't really like anti-gentrification campaigns. I'd prefer a campaign with the goal of allowing me to afford all the nice things rich and middle-class people have. Possibly one where I get a yacht, too. But my life here was better before the area was as heavily gentrified as it is now, so I'd definitely be into a (I guess time travelling) campaign to stop gentrification here before it goes any further.
Though yeah, I have no idea what such a campaign would entail. So I guess I'll just have to move to somewhere else in town.
As to the jist of the piece, I've lived in the 'Dale for 13 years and much like Kensington, it's pretty insulated. It's never going to completely gentrify unless you knock down all the apartments along Tyndal and Jameson and put up swank condos. Those areas sort of anchor the neighbourhood and will continue to keep things from getting too chichi.
I haven't seem a drop in the number of variety stores, and there actually is a facade improvement programme in place that a number of businesses have taken advantage of over the past few years. We're looking right fancy here in the village, dontchaknow.
As to the points of the meeting last night - Parkdale already has one of the highest rate of cheap apartments in the city, so I'm not sure what adding more affordable housing in the area would do (or, yes, where it would go). Having lived next door to a rooming house, they can definitely be an issue, but as it's the most affordable form of affordable housing, DiNovo might better direct her efforts at getting the landlords of rooming houses and the cheaper apartments along Jameson to maintain their buildings to a certain standard so that the reasonably-priced places are actually liveable.
And remember, whenever anyone derides your neighbourhood as "yuppie," what they're really saying is "I can't afford to live there."
As to safety on the streets of Parkdale I could do a whole new post with first-hand stories of prostitution and crack-busts (as a bystander of course). Instead, I'll say that my favorite Parkdale memory was stopping to watch the fireworks at the foot of Jamieson one night with a whole slew of people, families mostly, from the Jamieson towers and I don't think any of us worried about safety for one second.
Was it my loss? Perhaps, but nothing I saw during my search (which spanned 3 apartments in 3 different locations) convinced me otherwise. And no, I didn't grow up on a farm.
Grapes are fun!
Will I walk down one of the "scarier" streets at 3am by myself? Probably not. But then again, Im not sure I'd be taking a cab at that hour no matter where in the city I was.
What drew me to the neighbourhood (besides a great apartment with an unobstruted view of the lake and onsite laundry) was it affordability, its transit-accessability, and the fact that it seemed to be a community I could be a part of, and actually live in.
We still have a long way to go to exemplify what diversity really means.
Anyone got any Brock liqour store stories? I've got at least three and one ends with a police escort to my car. Needless to say my GF won't go there anymore with me.
But as soon as rent get jacked on Queen & King W. you can't sell $3 breakfasts anymore. And it doesn't matter If you own the building since your property taxes go up with the perceived "Value" (price) of your building. (As opposed basing it on space or infrastructure which would make big boxes roll over and die)
Your costs go up faster than the new revenue from people moving into the area. And unless you're starbucks, or planning on raising prices, you won't be able to afford the requisite face-lift to attract the new tenants.
So even if you have good rent in your apartment, suddenly you can't afford to eat out, the laundromats are gone, the entrepreneurs are gone and every one is talking about how cool the junction is.
But if you can keep the costs down for independent retail, the proprietors and staff, who live in the neighborhood, will be able to afford the rent increase on their apartments, fix up their businesses, turn them into franchises and ruin the junction...or whatever.
myparkdale.blogspot.com
^ random parkdale photos I take
I know people who belong to the "parkdale is scary" camp. They make me laugh. They just don't understand and refuse to. That's okay though -- people are people and nothing if not opinionated.
I know what Parkdale is and I like it anyway. There's a human element; a struggle in every crevice and around every corner. It has a face that is old and wrinkled with a serene wisdom. It feels familiar, real, and comfortable.
Gentrification? Yeah... it's annoying. I think the people that live in Parkdale like city living -- but not everyone is into the neo-urban-chic yuppie condo life. They like the old houses, the small independent retailers, and that bustling community feel. People who live in Parkdale end up feeling rather passionate about Parkdale.
Parkdale doesn't need anything from the people who don't live here. It doesn't need condos, ritzi franchises, and security guards to be a wonderful community. It certainly doesn't need scene-sters and upper-middle class white people who think the poor look is cool.
What we do need is more community participation in making Parkdale a better place. If we're so conscientious; why aren't we all working the soup kitchens one evening a week or volunteering in community policing or planting community gardens?
These are the kind of initiatives Parkdale needs.
At least, IMHO.
Although our presentation was geared towards %u201Cmanaging business gentrification in Parkdale%u201D, I am glad that the attention diverted to other important topics for example, affordable housing. Without affordable housing, it is not likely that small businesses would survive the test of time because a large percentage of renters would have to spend most of their money on shelter, and would not have enough residual income to support these small businesses.
In my opinion there is more of a need to protect affordable housing stock than to create more of it. Parkdale does have a disproportionate amount of affordable housing stock as compared to the rest of the city. This is not a bad thing. I think that by pressuring your MP representative to secure rent fees instead of building more residential units is one solution.
I know it%u2019s easier to say than do.
Perhaps apartment buildings could get subsidized so that any increase in rent is covered by that subsidy. By doing so, a tenant%u2019s rent will be locked at a set rate. The problem with this might be that individuals are already paying 70% of their income on shelter. Another option that was mentioned I believe by Mark Dukes was rent geared to income units (RGI%u2019s). This type of subsidy can work well if it is integrated with market value units whereas the market value unit helps pay the burden of the subsidy given to the RGI unit.
Mark Dukes also suggested inclusionary zoning%u2026%u2026YES! That is a in my view on piece to the puzzle. As I stated before I think that Parkdale should be focusing on protecting their stock of affordable housing instead of looking for more. However, if a developer gets allowed to build in the area, he damn well better supply some affordable housing along with it.
I don%u2019t think that there is one solution to the problem of affordable housing. Instead there are tools such as inclusionary zoning, etc that have to be used together, along with consistent support from those who live in the area, as well as constant pressure on political figures.
I was happy with the turnout on the 22nd and I hope there are more meetings held on a regular basis so that more people can voice their opinion.
I bought a beautiful large Victorian house last year in Parkdale last year. It's currently a 5-plex rental building, but it will soon undergo a major renovation and converted back into a single dwelling (keeping the original Victorian character of course). Once it's done, this is where I plan to live and raise my family over the next 10-20 years. No doubt there are others with the same plan in mind.
I could've chosen to buy in Rosedale or Forest Hill, but I didn't. Proximity to the downtown core, views of the lake, great restaurants and nightlife in King and Queen West, plus easy highway access all made Parkdale a superior place for me to live. The kids will probably be sent to private school.
From my perspective, I see no good reason why Parkdale's fantastic homes should not be restored to their original prestige.
Yes, this means that real estate values and rents will rise, property taxes will jump, and there will be dislocation of marginal residents and small businesses.
Some may oppose these trends. But those who think the Parkdale community should continue to support a disproportionately high level of apartments, rooming houses and the like are simply looking backwards in time. It was a series of misfortunate events over the past 70 years which brought Parkdale to a state of disrepair. Fortunately, gentrification is starting to make Parkdale a safer and more desirable place for all to live.
That is not to say that all low income choices will disappear - I'm sure that Parkdale in the year 2050 will still have more than its fair share of cheap apartments and rooming houses.
Of course, ignoring the needs of the most fragile people in Parkdale is not an appropriate answer. While there will probably never be an optimal solution, that does mean the community and government shouldn't try to help and find ways to deal with the issues.
But the need to have affordable housing is no excuse to keep a neighbourhood from imporving. The way I see it, the yuppies can start to go elsewhere (maybe in their own backyards)to pick up their cocaine.
By the way, my family immigrated to Canada in the 1960s with virtually nothing to start with. We spent the next 20 years living in lower income rental housing (never on social assistance) and working our way up before being able to buy a house. As such, I know first hand how important it is important it is for cities to have affordable housing.
"While there will probably never be an optimal solution, that doesn't mean the community and government shouldn't try to help and find ways to deal with the issues."