[bounded by Bathurst St, Bloor St, Grace St and College St]
The neighbourhood surrounding Palmerston Boulevard dates back to the Victorian era and its history is interwoven with Little Italy. It possesses to this day an epoch-defining charm. Its vitality and historic nature are evident not only in its architecture and streetscape, but also in the efforts of its many community-minded constituents. The Palmerston Area Residents’ Association [PARA], for example, has been instrumental in preserving the health and heritage of this neighbourhood, and together we strive to make it an even better place in which to live, work, and play.
In recent years, I have helped spearhead community improvements that involve working with PARA and the Little Italy Business Improvement Area [BIA]. Our meetings led to College Street becoming the subject of the first “Avenue Study” under Toronto’s new Official Plan. This dialogue sparked a number of zoning changes that help secure the privacy, peace, and quiet of the surrounding residential area. My engagement with PARA also resulted in our restoring the historic cast iron gates and street lamps on Palmerston Boulevard between Bloor Street West and College Street.
To the benefit of residents and business owners, we extended sidewalk improvements and tree plantings to the stretch of College Street running west of Bathurst Street. After a community petition and positive poll, I was able to ensure speed hump installation on Grace Street, Euclid Avenue, and Manning Avenue [from College St to Dundas St W]. I also supported upgrading the playground equipment and greening the space within Healy Willan Park, a community improvement that borders a laneway recently named in honour of local hero Frank Kovac.
