Ward 31 (Beaches-East York) Issue Profile

With issues ranging from the budget to crime to revitalization, six challengers are looking to unseat a two-term incumbent in Ward 31.

Janet Davis has represented Beaches-East York ward for seven years and is seeking a third term. She is being challenged for the seat by Donna Braniff, Brenda MacDonald, Leonard Subotich, Robert Walker, Peter Agaliotis, and Rasal Rahman are also in the running.

The ward includes a diversity of neighbourhoods including those around Danforth Avenue and Crescent Town. It has undergone some changes in recent years and those changes are likely to continue.

Along Danforth Avenue the newly formed Danforth East Community Association is working to make its community a better place with make overs of local businesses and community events, while the Danforth Mosaic BIA and the Danforth Village BIA have been working to make the eastern Danforth a destination.

There have been new restaurants and businesses springing up, but the area is still in transition with empty storefronts, crime and undesirable establishments still a concern for residents.

Davis is hoping to continue working with local businesses and residents to revitalize the area. She recently created the Danforth Enhancement Working Group bringing together police, municipal licensing and standards with the city, and Toronto Public Health.

“We’re developing a targeted approach to take on some of the businesses that are not good neighbours,” she said. “This involves the BIAs and the community – only if we work together can we change the less desirable activities on the Danforth.”

Braniff criticized the creation of the working group.

“It’s just another layer of (bureaucracy),” she said.

Braniff, who previously ran twice in Ward 32 (Beaches-East York), agrees the Danforth needs to be improved – she’d like to see all business areas in the ward improved – and she believes that can happen by ensuring the business there are a good fit with the community. The property manager also thinks address safety will help increase foot traffic.

“Working with the police and the community to create a Danforth that’s safe, to ensure a community that’s safe,” she said.

First time candidate MacDonald also sees the number of for lease signs and ongoing crimes as impediments to making the Danforth the kind of place people want it to be.

“The general sensation when you walk along the Danforth is it’s not the safest area in Toronto to be in,” said the musician and TDSB caretaker. “We need to have more police presence and have a different approach to policing.”

Those different approaches could include creating police hubs on the Danforth and getting officers out of cars and on bike or foot for great presence.

Walker, in his first campaign, has been hearing concerns about the eastern Danforth, too.

“What I’m getting from the members of the BIA and the business community is there are a couple of places down there that are hubs for criminal activity,” he said. “We need to get in there and shut them down.”

The improvements can’t just be about street lights and planters.

Subotich thinks a great responsibility for upkeep should fall on the city. He said street cleaning and graffiti removal should be a service provided to businesses as part of the taxes they pay.

“I would reduce their taxes and make sure they got services,” said the candidate who is running for the second time.

Another area of concern for residents is redevelopment being built in the character of the neighbourhood – from lot splitting to Topham Park to additions or rebuilds of East York bungalows the issue touches many areas of the ward.

Walker is a believer in individual property rights, but not necessarily when it negatively impacts current residents.

“I don’t think you should be able to come in, tear down a house and build a house that doesn’t fit in with the neighbourhood,” he said. “There has to be a healthy balance of what I can build on my property.”

Subotich believes new development should be in the character of the neighbourhood, but another issue is the process at the city.

“First of all I would make sure the committee of adjustment would follow instructions,” he said.

MacDonald said the large additions and new homes are unfairly raising the property taxes of the home owners around them and she believes the original footprint of a property needs to be taken into consideration when building permits are granted.

Davis said she’s worked with constituents through the years on this issue.

“We don’t always win, but it’s important the councillor supports residents in preserving the character of the neighbourhood,” she said.

Braniff said people who buy a property in the area have made an investment and a choice to live here.

“Change is inevitable so I’m not going to stop somebody from beautifying their home,” she said.
Services and resources continue to be an issue across the city and across the ward, especially in Crescent Town – one of the city’s designated priority neighbourhoods.

“From talking to people in Crescent Town, what I learned is they want services. They want child care and youth services,” Walker said.

Many candidates say the financial situation at city hall is their number one concern and they believe that by cutting wasteful spending and doing a line by line analysis of the budget the city would be able to find the money for things such as additional services in Crescent Town.

“The City of Toronto needs to investigate all of its assets and to cut spending of council,” MacDonald said.

Braniff, Subotich and Walker agreed.

“The city is in some serious trouble and if we want jobs and businesses to come back to the city we have to look at lowering taxes,” Subotich said.

Davis believes candidates who say the city can cut spending while investing in services are not being realistic. “If we’re going to build a great city we have to continue to build and invest,” she said.

Tenant rights and infrastructure are two other issues in the ward.

Agaliotis could not be reached for comment; Rahman did not return requests for an interview.

- Danielle Milley

Posted in East York - Beach