Meeting with Landscape Designer

Yesterday, we attended the initial meeting with the landscape designer.  It was an introductory meeting to scope out the work he will do and the objectives to be achieved.  We spoke about the history of the neighbourhood and how it has looked after the area behind our homes, and the engagement of the community in the process.  We also passed on comments around using xeriscaping concepts and the need to maintain the common, and passive use of the space.  The designer will be touring the area to see what is required.  A design will be developed and we will get a chance to see and comment on the proposed landscape solution.  The City anticipates that being completed over the next month or so.   It will be posted here when we get it.  Planting will be done in the spring of 2010.  It was a good meeting and we are looking forward to being part of the collaboration.  Thanks for everyone's support and comments.

Guest Post on Xeriscaping

The following is from Laura and Mani who suggested that Xeriscaping would be an excellent option for the mounds and landscaping design. They offer the following information:

Xeriscaping Techniques

• Xeriscaping to conserve water and reduce maintenance
• No need to use fertilizers or pesticides
• Use of mulch to improve soil and eliminate need for mowing grass in certain areas (mulch protects plant roots from heat, cold, and drought, improves the soil and controls weeds)
• No plastic liners as these restrict the flow of water into the soil.
• Use drought-tolerant plants

Examples of drought-tolerant plants:
Trees: Russian olive, maple, Pine, smokebush, ginkgo, oak, and linden are very drought tolerant once established
Shrubs: Sandcherry, Lilac, Potentilla, Barberry, Quince, Spirea, Mock orange, Caragana, Juniper, Yew, Pine, Spruce, Fragrant Sumac, Siberian Pea shrub, Rockspray Cotoneaster, Red or Black Chokeberry, Flowering Quince, Northern Bayberry, Butterfly-bush, Spirea
Low growing perennials: Artemesia, Spurge, Heuchera (Coral bells), Creeping phlox, Lamb's ears, Dianthus, Bergenia and Lady's Mantle.
Tall perennials: Aster, Bee balm, Baptisia, Coneflower, Yarrow, Verbascum, Russian sage and Helianthus.

More info on xeriscaping:
http://www.landscapeontario.com/c?c=1123
and from City of Toronto:
http://www.toronto.ca/compost/xeriscap.htm

Landscape Designer Hired

The City has selected a landscape designer to help assist in the development of the final look and feel of the land around the new road. (By the way, the working name for the road appears to be Courtalds Dr.) We have been invited to meet with the designer on Tuesday, September 22nd to give him our ideas. I will report back following the meeting. If you have any comments, please hit the comments button below to the right to post.

New plans now available for viewing

I have been out of town for the past few days and have not been able to keep things up to date.  The revised plans for the berm are now available for viewing.  Please click on the links below:

Berm Plan

Berm Sectional View

I am trying to arrange to get print-outs from the City to share.  This is much better and shows that the City is listening.  The cross-section shows a 2.5 ft high mound with trees and shrubs.

I will be circulating a brief survey door to door to get feedback on the concept.

Updates and Documents

New documents are now available for viewing.  Please click on the links below:


Update Letter #3

Survey Analysis and Noise Observations Presentation


Feel free to leave comments by clicking on link below this posting.

Dirt and Earth Mounds

A quick update on the dirt mounds being piled up by the contractor behind some of the homes on the southern sector.   I spoke with the construction foreman this afternoon, the City has asked them to mound the dirt up to only 3 feet high.  This dirt will be the raw materials for the contouring approach agreed to last night.  Once the landscape plan is finalized, the contractor will come in and remove the excess and create the contours as directed by the plan.  Please feel free to leave comments by clicking the comment link below if you have any questions.

We also have several volunteers to assist in working with the City on the next steps.  If anyone else is interested, please send an email to glengarryblvd@gmail.com.  Thank you again for your support and continued community interest.   Well done Glengarry residents.

The Berm is gone!

Good Morning.  The meeting with the City last night was very successful in convincing the City to revamp the design of the land between our homes and the new sidewalk.  Twenty-five people showed up for the meeting, many thanks to everyone who attended, especially the children and young adults.  A number of issues were discussed, a fuller report will be posted here later in the week. 

Briefly, the outcome is that the original berm concept is now history.  A new concept including contouring, trees and shrubs will be developed by the City and will be posted here for review.  Mature trees and the existing shrubbery will be included in the new landscape design. The contouring will be 2 - 3 feet high with a width of probably around 10 feet.  There will be access routes for pedestrian access to the sidewalk. 

Over the next few days I will post further details.  One item of note, the contractors will be piling dirt up along the new sidewalk.  This is not a berm, but a means of storing the dirt to be used for the contouring, so that it stays on the site.

Thank you for everyone's support on this issue.  More details to come shortly.

Survey Update #2

Good Morning:

I analysed all of the surveys last night, and put together a brief slide deck with the results.  This morning there are five more surveys in the mailbox, so it will be updated this morning!  We now have 46 responses out of 56 residences.  That is an 82 % response rate.  I think we can demonstrate we have consensus.

A reminder of the community meeting tonight, 7:00 pm at Public Works on Ontario St.  See you there.