PLEASE ACT NOW!!!

The Shuttle that was approved in May 2023 is coming to City Council on May 21/22/23……... 

At the General Government Committee Meeting on May 12th your great letters caused a pause in the process and the Committee asked for some changes and clarifications for the City Council meeting starting on May 21.

If the required information has been obtained and submitted to Council, they will vote on the Contract approval at this time. However, if the Council are not satisfied with the information provided it will be returned to Staff for further investigation.

The current proposal does not meet requirements to provide transportation within the park to all venues.

We are asking that you send an email to the addresses provided below before the Council meeting on Wednesday, May 21. 

Make a point that the Shuttle’s stops in this contract are a distance from the entrances into the park and it does not, in any way, provide ACCESS to High Park.  Councillor Perks managed to convince members of the committee that by voting against this Shuttle Contract they would be destroying access to High Park, while the truth is that the Shuttle cannot be utilized until the public are actually IN High Park, not an access issue, a transportation issue….

Staff had proposed a Free Shuttle, not fares of Adult $10.00 Seniors and youths $7.00, Children $5 and a Family Pass rate. A Family of four with young children would pay $30.00 with a time usage limit of four hours and no mention of the number of times the train may be boarded within that 4-hour time limit usage. Many proposed stops have no seating, and no stops have shelter for people to wait the 30 minutes. Which raises the question of will it run in inclement weather?

The nearest stop from the Parkside entrance is down near the duckpond by Jamie Bell Playground, a long walk  for people with mobility issues, young families and the elderly to reach. During the stakeholder consultation it was suggested to add two extra stops than those being proposed at the Grenadier Restaurant and The Queensway. One was suggested to be at the Children’s Teaching Garden and one at Colborne Lodge. Only the Teaching Kitchen is being proposed so those visiting Colborne lodge will be driven right past the front door and down the steep hill to The Queensway. It is a long steep climb up to Colborne Lodge for those with a disability, young families with strollers or elderly who may find it difficult if not impossible.

The city talks about a 15-minute wait for the shuttle and yet this will not be implemented until 2028. There will only be one vehicle in 2026 so it will still be a 30-minute wait if not longer if the ticket is valid for 4 hours as people get on and off.

Will this shuttle run when it is raining? Right now, it does not, which leaves people stranded within the park, often with a very long walk out which for many is very difficult.

This proposal is a sole source with options for the company to operate shuttles in other Toronto parks.

We ask that you email all City Councillors before the meeting on Wednesday, May 21, mention item GG21.9, Carla Construction and Maintenance Ltd. For Operation and Maintenance of a Passenger Transportation Shuttle Service for High Park and other Potential Parks and voice your concerns and ask questions:

- Why is the shuttle not picking up from the 2 subway stations?

- Why is the cost going up?

- Why is there no stop at Colborne Lodge?

- Why will there not be full 15-minute service until 2028?

- Will it run when raining unlike the one now?

- Why is this a sole source agreement which also allows for inclusion of other parks?

ACT NOW AND SEND A LETTER COPIED TO ALL BELOW>>>>>

Copy and Paste

councilmeeting@toronto.ca 

Mayor_chow@toronto.ca

Councillor_Ainslie@Toronto.ca;Councillor_holyday@toronto.ca;Councillor_burnside@toronto.ca;Councillor_cheng@toronto.ca;Councillor_Thompson@Toronto.ca;Councillor_Crisanti@toronto.ca;Councillor_morley@toronto.ca;Councillor_perks@toronto.ca;Councillor_nunziata@toronto.ca;Councillor_pasternak@toronto.ca;Councillor_perruzza@toronto.ca;Councillor_colle@toronto.ca;Councillor_bravo@toronto.ca;Councillor_malik@toronto.ca;Councillor_saxe@toronto.ca;Councillor_matlow@toronto.ca;Councillor_moise@toronto.ca;Councillor_fletcher@toronto.ca;Councillor_chernosLin@toronto.ca;Councillor_carroll@toronto.ca;Councillor_kandavdel@toronto.ca;Councillor_mantas@torono.ca;Councillor_myers@toronto.ca

HELPFUL INFO BELOW:

· Video of Governance Committee Meeting, the shuttle discussion begins at 1:05 of the recording,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP1FxYhkBRk

· Criticisms of the staff report came from High Park Access for All, residents, and Cycle Toronto 

1.The “Report for Action” recommendations do not support the goals of the High Park Movement Strategy and does not integrate with WheelTrans, subway or the Parkside Drive plan.

2.            The “people mover”/train/shuttle route does not stop at the High Park or Spring Road parking lot – two essential drop-off and pick up points

3.            The current license fee has been removed and replaced with a 15% gross revenue share. However, the City does not have the right to examine financial statements for proof

4.            Carla Construction and Maintenance Ltd. (Carla) operates an amusement ride and has no background in transit operation, no full-time employees, no office and no demonstrated financial capacity

5.            The contract does not require a performance bond (or any bonding), lacks performance metrics, risk/liability requirements, or fair wage policy statement

6.            The Report prepared by Parks and Procurement has no ridership estimate

7.            The electric “people mover”/train/shuttle vehicle manufacturer is not identified (probably because there are no Canadian manufacturers of such vehicles)

8.            High Park roads have steep grades – notably Colborne Lodge Drive and Centre Road – and when it rains the current shuttle cannot operate. During winter, the proposed shuttle will cease operation

9.            The current shuttle is open to the weather. There is no stipulation for passengers’ shelter from the weather

10.         Year-round operation requires pedestrian shelters at stops and there is no provision for the construction of shelters

11.         If charging stations, a train barn and other capital requirements are installed there is no stipulation who receives the benefit at the end of the contract

12.         The Parks and Procurement report is not AODA compliant. Four wheelchair places on a car does not make the proposed service AODA compliant

13.         Permit holders and stakeholders were not consulted by Parks or Procurement in the preparation of the “Report for Action”

14.         The service building that will be provided has no services: ie. washroom, water, sewer, or electricity. The “Major Terms and Conditions of the Agreement” stipulates only a “porta potty” for year-round use

15.         There is no description or discussion of staff levels

16.         The 2026 passenger fare of $10 adult, $7 youth, $5 child and $7 seniors is unprecedented for any publicly owned space in Toronto

17.         There will be times in the year when the TTC and the people mover/train/shuttle will be operating on the same roadway and there is no anticipation of how that will work.

18.         There is no reference to the needs or requirements of valid park permit holders to make use of the people mover/train/shuttle for moving equipment and supplies

19.         Recommendation #2 to “authorize the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, to sign additional licence agreements with Carla Construction and Maintenance Ltd.” for other Toronto parks is open-ended and lacks Council oversight.

20.         The report and the bid were prepared in haste. Parks division only approached Procurement in February 2024 for advice on how to issue a RFP.

THANK YOU……