This page is where we can share views, letters, and comments.

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Please send anything you care to share to the webmaster, Sandra W, email: SussexSpadina@gmail.com .

 I am a long time resident of the neighbourhood and am putting this website up in an attempt to help fellow residents keep informed.

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Generally before posting, in order to maintain privacy, all personal information will be removed. By default, only first names and last initials will be used, unless explicitly instructed otherwise.

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Only emails and full names of individuals who have already publicly posted their contact information will be published.

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This selection of letters is only a sampling of those sent, and does not claim to be a complete listing of all correspondence.

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Help with viewing and printing.

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Names and emails of people you can contact are on the Contact Page.

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Letters Regarding the University of Toronto proposal:

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Here is a letter sent by a neighbourhood resident dated January 2017 to Councillor Joe Cressy. Included is the response received.

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-  Here is a letter sent by two of our residents from Major Street to The University of Toronto president,  Meric Gertler, December 2016. This letter is a great summary of many of the shared concerns in our community.

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-  Here is an excerpt of a letter sent to request more information from the City planner, Michelle Knieriem, December 2016 by a resident of 720 Spadina Ave, a building to the north of the proposed site. This letter discusses some deeper concerns of shadow and wind impacts on the surrounding area from the proposed construction of such a massive, high structure. Included is follow up correspondence, here and here. The last letter was also cc'ed to councillor Cressy and his representative.

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Here is a letter sent to City Councillor Joe Cressy December 2016 by a resident of Robert Street. The letter expresses concern over how inappropriate the proposal's scale and density is for the neighbourhood. There is a good discussion about how many areas of the Harbord Village area have been considered for Heritage preservation because of the unique charm, beauty, and character of the neighbourhood. The proposed skyscraper does not fit in harmoniously with the neighbourhood at all as the architects have appeared to have made zero effort to create a façade that might acknowledge and pay homage to the existing style of the surroundings.

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-Here is a letter sent by the President of the Grange Community Association October, 2016, to Chair and Members of the Toronto and East York Community Council (taken from the HVRA website.)

This letter points out that a previous similar development at 245 College St was a disaster for the Grange neighbourhood. It also reiterates the concern that a dormitory would be better built on campus, and that family-style dwellings could be better absorbed by the community should the University no longer have need for the building due to declining enrollments projected in coming years.

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-In this letter from the HVRA (Harbord Village Residents Asssociation) dated October 2016, two members of the HVRA Board note that while there have been many community meetings with the University of Toronto and the Daniels Corporation, there has been very little actual engagement. Representatives from the University of Toronto and Daniels Corporation show up to these meetings but do not appear to wish to actually negotiate with or listen to community members.

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-Here is a letter written to the U of T president, Meric Gertler, dated January 2016, by a resident of 666 Spadina Avenue. This letter discusses widely held concerns regarding the fact that the high-rise proposed does not fit the neighbourhood, either in its purpose, size or shape.

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Letters Regarding Support for Heritage Designation at Toronto Preservation Board

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-Here are a selection of letters sent to the Toronto and East York Community Council,

teycc@toronto.ca , in support of the heritage designation of 698 Spadina Avenue.

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