Commentary - Preserved Stories

Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines public meeting is on Sept. 26, 2017 at 6:30 pm, at the Ken Cox Community Centre

September 24, 2017/0 Comments/in Commentary, Committee of Adjustment, Toronto Local Appeal Body, Local Planning Appeals Tribunal, Long Branch, Long Branch Character Guidelines, Newsletter, Toronto/by Jaan Pill

Etobicoke Guardian article regarding SvN Architects + Planners SvN Architects + Planners is involved with development of the ongoing Long Branch Urban Design Guidelines pilot project. A Sept. 19, 2017 Etobicoke Guardian article is entitled: “Firm wins Toronto design award for Six Points’ junction transformation: Pedestrians, cyclists included in expanded public realm design.” A Sept. 13, […]

Some find it comforting to think of life as a story. Others find that absurd. (Sept. 3, 2015 Aeon essay)

September 22, 2017/0 Comments/in Commentary/by Jaan Pill

A Sept. 3, 2015 Aeon essay is entitled: “I am not a story.” The subtitle reads: “Some find it comforting to think of life as a story. Others find that absurd. So are you a Narrative or a non-Narrative?” Given my interest in story management, and related topics such as storytelling, I found the article […]

The 9 Meaford Ave. OMB decision, which ruled in favour of the local residents, warrants a close read

July 6, 2017/0 Comments/in Commentary, Committee of Adjustment, Toronto Local Appeal Body, Local Planning Appeals Tribunal, Long Branch, Long Branch Character Guidelines, Mississauga, Newsletter, Toronto/by Jaan Pill

Note concerning photo on the right The calligraphic pen on the right is from Staples. The blue notebook is from Curry’s Artists’ Materials. These are my favourite writing instruments. Some of my best writing, including the introduction to A History of Long Branch, has been done using them. The coffee cup is courtesy of Etobicoke-Lakeshore MPP Peter Milczyn’s Office. […]

The Long Branch Neighbourhood Association plans to stage an AGM in the Fall of 2017

July 3, 2017/1 Comment/in Commentary, Committee of Adjustment, Toronto Local Appeal Body, Local Planning Appeals Tribunal, Long Branch, Newsletter, Toronto/by Jaan Pill

I had the good fortune to attend the June 5, 2017 meeting of the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association. During the meeting, I made some notes. Right after the meeting, I wrote up a draft of a report based on my notes. The report that follows is based on the draft report that I prepared right after […]

Links related to a differential approach to climate change at City of Mississauga as compared to the City of Toronto

June 5, 2017/0 Comments/in Commentary, Committee of Adjustment, Toronto Local Appeal Body, Local Planning Appeals Tribunal, Long Branch, Mississauga, Newsletter, Toronto/by Jaan Pill

I have previously noted that the City of Mississauga appears many light years ahead of the City of Toronto in relation to community engagement (that is, getting citizens involved with planning decisions, in practice as well as in theory) and in relation to sustainability. I have attended Etobicoke-York Committee of Adjustment meetings in the past […]

Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2017) provides a good overview of “irregular warfare” in the Second World War

June 1, 2017/0 Comments/in Commentary, Language usage, Newsletter, Toronto/by Jaan Pill

How to set up a website dealing with local history; some notes about starting up and running neighbourhood associations

May 8, 2017/0 Comments/in Commentary, Committee of Adjustment, Toronto Local Appeal Body, Local Planning Appeals Tribunal, Long Branch, Toronto/by Jaan Pill

Culture of Committee of Adjustment and OMB decision making has changed dramatically in 25 years: MPP Peter Milczyn

December 18, 2016/0 Comments/in Commentary, Long Branch, Newsletter, Toronto/by Jaan Pill

Updates: A March 11, 2018 Toronto Star article is entitled: “How rampant development and poor planning left residents of this Etobicoke neighbourhood stuck in traffic: The Etobicoke neighbourhood of Humber Bay Shores has undergone rapid development in the past two decades, but transit infrastructure hasn’t come with it. The problem only stands to get worse.” […]