Six lanes of trains in the middle of a vibrant downtown Toronto community

Reference Number
113
Text

The decision to have six lanes of trains running through Riverside, a vibrant downtown Toronto community, makes no sense at all.

[Close your eyes and consider six lanes of trains - that run every 45 seconds - speeding by your house, your place of business, your parks and your community centre on one of the main streets of your town or city].

Dropping the Ontario line in the middle of our 'little town within a big city' will significantly change the culture of our community by eating up our park and green spaces (where people picnic, walk their dogs, throw the ball around, contemplate life), encroaching on a community centre used by many low-income children and adults in the area, and make our community unhealthy to live, work and play in.

The World Health Organization recognizes that noise can have 'impacts on physcial and mental health."  WHO warns "railway traffic produce(s) intermiitent low-frequency noise.  Low frequency noise may also produce vibrations and rattles as secondary effects.  Health impacts due to low frequency components in noise are estimated to be more severe than for community noises, in general."  What will the impacts of this level of noise be on the health of the people living and working in the neighbourhood?

Extensive vibration studies also need to be done to ensure the foundations of homes (many within ten metres of the new tracks) can withstand the constant vibrations and weight pressure of trains passing by every 45 seconds at less than the recommended set-back distance.

The federal government says that it's goal is to ensure that high standards are applied and the impacts of from instrastructure projects, like this one, create an 'economically vibrant, strategically planned, sustainable and inclusive community.'

I am asking that the federal government oversee the province's plans to ensure that our section of the Ontario line ('Joint Corridor') in not built above-ground and that all options are considered and weighed to ensure the continued health and vibrancy of our community.

 

Submitted by
L R
Phase
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Public Notice
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Date Submitted
2021-03-01 - 2:27 PM
Date modified: