Question 1:
Alta Vista is rundown, our streets aren’t getting fixed, and we seem to be shortchanged on infrastructure. Why do we have to beg for money to get things like parks, benches, and basketball courts? There are issues with speeding and illegal turns off Walkley Road. Why aren’t speed bumps prioritized where they’re needed most? What is the city doing about the infrastructure and flooding?
Marty’s Response:
– Infrastructure: We’ve had sections of Alta Vista Drive repaired this year, particularly from Pleasant Park to Randall. A lot of the investment in our ward goes into underground sewer projects, which are costly but not as visible. For example, the sewer and road renewal projects in my ward are higher than in neighboring wards.
– Speed Bumps: New road designs, when they are rebuilt, automatically come with speed bumps. Some streets like Valley Drive have qualified for these measures, while others, like Weston, did not get enough responses in the survey. I will revisit that with staff and may go door-to-door to get more responses.
– Flooding: The Canterbury project is underway, though delayed, and will address flooding issues. There were 36 homes flooded on Adams Avenue, and construction is starting to resolve these problems.
– Police Presence: The issue of police being used for construction enforcement is governed by provincial legislation, so I cannot move officers to other areas like traffic enforcement.
Question 2:
We used to have police officers, like Wayne Clayton, who were very engaged with the community. I haven’t seen any police presence recently, especially in places like St. Louis’ parking lot, which used to be a hotspot for activity. What can be done?
Marty’s Response:
I’ll follow up with our new staff sergeant to address the lack of police presence. Our previous community officers, Wayne Clayton and Curtis Bear, were well known for their active engagement. However, Wayne is now training to become a detective, and Curtis moved to the OPP. We’ll work on ensuring more consistent police presence moving forward.
Question 3:
Why does the local newspaper (the Alta Vista News) create fear about rezoning, suggesting that our properties will be turned into multi-unit homes? Is that really likely?
Marty’s Response:
The fear created by the Alta Vista News is unwarranted. While rezoning allows for more multi-family homes, the reality is that turnover rates in our ward are very low. The cost of homes in our neighborhood makes it unlikely that developers will buy homes just to tear them down and replace them with multi-unit dwellings.
Question 4:
Riverside Drive has become a speedway. Can we get a speed camera installed there?
Marty’s Response:
New speed cameras are being installed across the city, primarily in school zones and safety zones. I’ll check to see if Riverside Drive is on the list for future installations. I agree that speeding is a concern there, especially with recent accidents.
Question 5:
How diligent is the city in enforcing property standards?
Marty’s Response:
Property standards are enforced on a complaint basis rather than proactively. If you have concerns, you need to call 311 or my office, and we’ll send bylaw officers out to investigate.
Question 6:
There used to be a sign at Western Park, but it was removed after being vandalized. Can we get that sign replaced?
Marty’s Response:
I’ll look into this. Signage should be replaced, and I’ll follow up with the appropriate departments to ensure the park sign is reinstalled.
Question 7:
There are a lot of speeding issues on Chapel and Weston Drive. People disregard stop signs, and it’s dangerous to walk there. Won’t installing speed bumps on Othello just push the traffic onto other streets like Weston?
Marty’s Response:
We’ll monitor the situation on Othello and consider how traffic is being affected on nearby streets. I agree that we need to look at the bigger picture when implementing traffic calming measures to avoid diverting the problem to other roads.
Question 8:
We’ve seen issues with parking near schools and dangerous traffic situations. People are parking illegally, and there’s a lot of speeding. What’s being done about traffic enforcement?
Marty’s Response:
I’ll follow up with police to see if we can have more enforcement around schools. They should be present, especially during school drop-off and pick-up times. We’ll also continue to monitor speed violations and request additional traffic studies where needed.
Question 9:
There was a garbage can near the sidewalk in our neighborhood, but it was moved into the middle of the park. Now, it’s hard for people walking along the road to access it. Can we get that fixed?
Marty’s Response:
This is part of the city’s new strategy in anticipation of the three-bag garbage limit. They’re moving garbage cans away from streets to prevent illegal dumping. However, I understand the frustration and will see if we can get the garbage can moved back to a more accessible location.
Question 10:
There are more cyclists using the sidewalks because traffic on the roads is so bad. This is dangerous for pedestrians, especially those with strollers and children. Can anything be done about that?
Marty’s Response:
This is a difficult issue to address, especially on busy roads like Alta Vista. One option may be to repaint the lines to make it clearer where cyclists and pedestrians should go. Long-term, it may require road redesign, but that’s several years away.
Question 11:
Why aren’t the traffic lights synchronized on Heron Road? No matter what speed you drive, you hit every red light. This seems inefficient and frustrating.
Marty’s Response:
You’re not the first to ask about this—my husband has asked me the same thing! I’ll check with city staff to see if we can get the traffic lights synchronized to improve the flow of traffic.
Question 12:
I work at CHEO, and I’ve always wondered why you can’t make a left turn or right turn from Hospital Lane Road. Has there ever been a study on this? The road seems underused.
Marty’s Response:
That was part of an agreement with the community to prevent through traffic in the neighborhood. Staff are open to revisiting the issue, but it would require a full consultation with the community to determine whether changes can be made.