The intersection
Weston and Eglinton intersection
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The issue
If the neighborhood is to benefit from the arrival of Eglinton LRT, the intersection between Eglinton and Weston must be redesigned. I have spent most of my life in Saigon, Vietnam and has personal experience crossing major intersections in the city where traffic does not always follow the traffic light yet crossing this intersection is still very unsettling. You have very aggressive vehicles on wide lanes, highway look-alike passenger islands, a whooping distance of 50 meters to cover to cross from one shore of Weston. The North and South neighborhood are cut off from one another residentially and commercially. During the wild decades from the 2000s and 2018, the intersection has been a favorite hotspot for criminals and drug dealers as one resident recalls ‘there’s gun shooting at the intersection every week’. The neighborhood has temporarily enjoyed a relatively peaceful period due to the ramped up LRT construction on Eglinton, constricting traffic movement. Even so, robbers still managed to try their luck at Scotiabank last month. Not to mention traffic accidents...
If the neighborhood is to benefit from the arrival of Eglinton LRT, the intersection between Eglinton and Weston must be redesigned. I have spent most of my life in Saigon, Vietnam and has personal experience crossing major intersections in the city where traffic does not always follow the traffic light yet crossing this intersection is still very unsettling. You have very aggressive vehicles on wide lanes, highway look-alike passenger islands, a whooping distance of 50 meters to cover to cross from one shore of Weston. The North and South neighborhood are cut off from one another residentially and commercially. During the wild decades from the 2000s and 2018, the intersection has been a favorite hotspot for criminals and drug dealers as one resident recalls ‘there’s gun shooting at the intersection every week’. The neighborhood has temporarily enjoyed a relatively peaceful period due to the ramped up LRT construction on Eglinton, constricting traffic movement. Even so, robbers still managed to try their luck at Scotiabank last month. Not to mention traffic accidents...
The history
Why is there a highway intersection right in the middle of a family-oriented neighborhood like Mount Dennis? The answer: the Richview Expressway of 1968. Unlike the Spadina Expressway, portions of this highway were actually built despite opposition from local residents. The damage was done and in Mt. Dennis, it led to the demolition of a large church, a 100-year old and a 40-year old commercial building. It also forces engineers to roll the Scotiabank inland to where it is today, which proves not to be a good decision considering how ‘inviting’ it is for robbers in the following decades.
The opportunity
If the neighborhood has thrived before an unfitting expressway interchange is in place, it’s only reasonable to reverse course. The Northwest pedestrian island will be reclaimed to accomondate a Zen garden. A right-turning laneway from will be created at 1178 Weston Rd where used to exist a pedestrian laneway utilized by many to make a shortcut from Weston to Eglinton. The Zen garden adds a new facade to the corner, replacing the graffiti ladden parkette. It serves as a space of relaxation and comtemplation for residents and bikers alike amidst the extremely active highway. If a post-secondary institution are to be built as planned, it will also serve as a destressing space for students.
Why is there a highway intersection right in the middle of a family-oriented neighborhood like Mount Dennis? The answer: the Richview Expressway of 1968. Unlike the Spadina Expressway, portions of this highway were actually built despite opposition from local residents. The damage was done and in Mt. Dennis, it led to the demolition of a large church, a 100-year old and a 40-year old commercial building. It also forces engineers to roll the Scotiabank inland to where it is today, which proves not to be a good decision considering how ‘inviting’ it is for robbers in the following decades.
The opportunity
If the neighborhood has thrived before an unfitting expressway interchange is in place, it’s only reasonable to reverse course. The Northwest pedestrian island will be reclaimed to accomondate a Zen garden. A right-turning laneway from will be created at 1178 Weston Rd where used to exist a pedestrian laneway utilized by many to make a shortcut from Weston to Eglinton. The Zen garden adds a new facade to the corner, replacing the graffiti ladden parkette. It serves as a space of relaxation and comtemplation for residents and bikers alike amidst the extremely active highway. If a post-secondary institution are to be built as planned, it will also serve as a destressing space for students.
The Urban Palimpsest of Mount Dennis - Thesis statement