By Al Ruggero
The Emery Village BIA has long been committed to revitalizing neighbourhoods, transforming public spaces, and fostering community pride. Between 2011 and 2017, significant work was undertaken in Humber Summit, Italian Gardens, and Plunkett commercial areas to enhance the public realm and create a sustainable environment for businesses and residents alike.
These streetscaping projects aimed to reverse commercial decline, bring beautification to the community, and encourage local shopping. The work included resurfacing roads and curbs, creating lay-by parking spaces, widening sidewalks, and planting trees, shrubs, and seasonal flowers. Decorative gateway signs, pedestrian lighting, benches, planters, banners, and flags were added to enhance the appeal of the area. These improvements increased pedestrian safety, reduced speeding, and made the neighbourhood more inviting for shoppers, seniors, and children.
These efforts were recognized with multiple awards and hailed as innovative, bringing the kind of beautification and streetscaping usually associated with downtown Toronto to an uptown community. This success was made possible through collaboration with local businesses and property owners who joined the BIA and played an essential role in shaping this vision.
While we celebrate these achievements, it’s also essential to address ongoing challenges. Recently, concerns were raised on local social media about garbage accumulation near one of the Humber Summit plazas. This issue highlights the need for renewed collaboration to maintain and improve the area’s appeal.
The BIA invests considerable resources each year into maintaining the streetscape, including seasonal plantings, watering, weeding, trimming, and general upkeep. Pedestrian lighting installed as part of the revitalization has made sidewalks safer, particularly for transit users at the Islington Avenue bus stop. Despite these efforts, garbage management remains a persistent issue.
Garbage disposal is a shared responsibility. The BIA does not collect or enforce waste management—these responsibilities fall under the City of Toronto’s Solid Waste division and By-law Enforcement. Unfortunately, garbage bags often accumulate days before collection, attracting vermin and stray animals that spread waste across properties and parking lots.
To address this issue, property owners, tenants, and businesses need to work together. Solutions include using secure bins and containers instead of leaving loose garbage bags in public view. The City of Toronto offers resources and guidance on garbage management, and the BIA is ready to facilitate discussions and connect stakeholders with city officials to explore strategies moving forward.
Streetscaping is about more than bricks and mortar—it requires the active involvement of the entire community to ensure long-term success. By tackling issues like garbage disposal, we can preserve and build on the progress made, ensuring our streetscape remains a source of pride for everyone in the neighbourhood.
For more information or to discuss potential solutions, please contact me, Al Ruggero, Project Manager, Emery Village BIA, at: info@emeryvillagebia.ca
Together, we can continue to foster community resilience and make Emery Village a welcoming place for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.