Ward 3 (Etobicoke Centre)
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The fight to save a neighbourhood park and controversy over bike lanes on Bloor Street are two key issues in Ward 3 right now.
Heathercrest Park has been at the centre of a community firestorm since last November, when the TDSB announced their intentions to sell the property. Since 1973, the city has maintained it as a park, with a community-funded playscape, 35 city-planted trees, two gardens, benches and picnic tables.
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority purchased the property in July for $3 million from a city water fund dedicated to protect lands drawn into the city’s water system.
The park also boasts a mature oak forest connected to the Mimico Creek watershed, and a small marshy strip that feeds into Mimico Creek – its potential saving grace. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority recently expressed interest in acquiring the land, but negotiations are ongoing.
Deferred plans for council-approved new bike lanes along a 3.2-km stretch of Bloor Street West, meanwhile, are sure to create controversy in a ward split between bike fans and residents concerned with the gridlock bike lanes might bring.
Originally due to be implemented this summer, the bike lanes were deferred when Ward 3 Councillor Doug Holyday and Etobicoke-Lakeshore Councillor Peter Milczyn successfully requested that Toronto Transportation Services defer until after the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) finalizes its plans for changes to Hwy. 427.
For the full ward profile, read the story HERE.
| CANDIDATES |
| Rogers Deschenes | ||
| Doug Holyday | ||
| Peter Kudryk | ||
| Ross Vaughan | ||
| Note: Toronto Community News attempted to contact all candidates to give them an opportunity to share their information on insidetorontovotes.ca. Candidate information featured herein was provided to Toronto Community News by the candidates. | ||
| DEMOGRAPHIC DATA (Statistics Canada 2006) |
| Population by age group | ||
| Age 14 and under | 8,175 | 16.0% |
| Age 15 to 24 | 6,450 | 12.6% |
| Age 25 to 44 | 12,410 | 24.2% |
| Age 45 to 64 | 13,780 | 26.9% |
| Age 65 and over | 10,365 | 20.3% |
| TOTAL | 51,180 | 100.0% |
| Top 10 countries by origin – Immigration | ||
|
Country/Area
|
Total Immigration
|
Percentage of Total
|
| Poland | 1,810 | 8.3% |
| United Kingdom |
1,240 | 5.7% |
| Italy | 1,025 | 4.7% |
| India | 1,000 | 4.6% |
| Ukraine | 915 | 4.2% |
| China | 855 | 3.9% |
| Caribbean | 850 | 3.9% |
| Philippines | 835 | 3.8% |
| South Korea |
805 | 3.7% |
| Portugal | 775 | 3.6% |
| Other | 11,640 | 53.5% |
| TOTAL | 21,750 | 100.0% |
| Education – Highest level completed by age group | |
| Age 15 to 24 | Age 25 to 64 |
| Total Population (20% sample data) = 6,335 | Total Population (20% sample data) = 25,975 |
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| Age 65 and over | LEGEND |
| Total Population (20% sample data) = 9,420 | |
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| Family household information | ||
| Average family income | $82,089 | |
| Total single parent families | 2,880 | |
| Family with children at home | 8,740 | |
