Ashworth doesn’t get what’s best for Bayview
Back in 2004 Councillor Jane Pitfield tried to get 1560 Bayview torn down for a parking structure. Fortunately the tenants at 1560 and the neighbourhood residents squelched that bad idea.
Now in 2014, Will Ashworth (Leaside Life, May) seems to feel that since there are vacancies in 1560 Bayview the owner would be willing to sell and the building could be torn down for a civic gathering place.
Ashworth just doesn’t get it!
1560 is the home to nine businesses with upwards of 20-25 employees, If this space were not available, most of the tenants would be elsewhere and probably not on Bayview.
My company, Hearthstone Property Management Services Inc,. has been at this location for 27 years.
Because my office is here and I reside only a few minutes away on Belsize west of Mt. Pleasant, I spend a lot of time and money on Bayview. We eat our lunches on Bayview, we buy our cheese, green groceries, fish, meat and groceries on Bayview and we often do dinners and Sunday brunch. All our medicine needs are satisfied on this street and both my wife Martha and I support the neighbourhood clothiers.
I am just one. Just think how much additional spending power comes from the rest of the tenants at 1560.
What we need on Bayview is additional quality office space. We need more people working on Bayview and from that will come additional spending power and hopefully a more vibrant and diverse retail scene.
This won’t happen by tearing down this office building.
Peter Bennett,
Belsize Dr.
Grateful to Mr. Krafchik
Re: A threat to family and friends, Letters, May issue, I am grateful to Mr. Krafchik for his efforts in dealing with traffic issues in Leaside (and Leaside Life for publishing his letter). He had better luck than I did,
Two weeks after e-mailing (Councillor John) Parker’s office to see what efforts were being taken to restrict traffic overflow into Leaside during the construction of the LRT, the total breadth of the response was to tell me that my e-mail would be forwarded to MetroLinx,
No response was given to my question as to whether the existing traffic restrictions limiting exits out of North Leaside might get more effective if there would be enforcement.
Within North and South Leaside there are four primary schools. As a parent of young children I take very seriously their safety. We are very concerned with the intrusion of motorists who take speed limits and stops signs as mere suggestions. With the LRT construction running directly through Ward 26 I would have expected my councillor to be informed and responsive to the reasonable concerns of its residents. I guess I expected too much and perhaps Mr. Krafchik is right – maybe it’s time to take matters into our own hands,
Mark C. Garner,
Broadway Ave.
