John Bowker, the Parking and Beautification Chair of the Roncesvalles Village Business Improvement Association, has e-mailed us to notify us that the proposal to rebuild the sidewalks along Roncesvalles Avenue has moved forward. Among the ideas being discussed by the Toronto Transit Commission, the City of Toronto and the local business association is extending the sidewalks along the length of the street, reducing parking but increasing pedestrian space and giving businesses the ability to build patios or provide benches and greenery to enhance the shoppers’ experience. The extended sidewalks would allow passengers using the King streetcar to board and disembark at the curb, and right lane cutouts in this extended sidewalk would allow cars to turn onto the local streets of the neighbourhood without blocking streetcar traffic.

The local business association provides a full update on the state of this plan on their website, and they seem cautiously optimistic:

“…it is clear that this plan would change Roncesvalles into a street that prioritizes transit, cycling and pedestrian uses over car traffic and parking. This is in line with new city policy, as well as the BIA’s streetscape strategy of 2003. While the BIA would like to preserve parking where possible, the plain fact is that Roncesvalles will never be able to compete with other shopping areas on parking availability. To compare, Roncesvalles currently has perhaps 200 on-street parking spaces, while Yorkdale Mall has 7,200. But Roncesvalles can offer something that a mall never can: a pleasant and distinct experience for shoppers who walk, cycle or ride the streetcar.

“The BIA strongly insists, however, that the new sidewalk space must enhance the public realm and be well-used. It must do more than simply open up some room and give transit riders a place to wait for the streetcar. It must bring new people out onto the street, give them a place to meet, chat and shop.”

The business improvement association is asking for comments on the plan at their website and a discussion of the proposal is going on at Steve Munro’s website.