Reimagining Victoria Park and Danforth
When I walk home from Scarborough Cycles’ Bike Hub on Thursdays, this is my view. After spending the afternoon serving helping visitors with bicycle repairs and having conversations about cycling culture in Toronto, I walk past this intersection and am reminded of the inequitable transportation infrastructure we aim to challenge with our work.
This image highlights a prime example of inequitable transportation planning and street design in Toronto, at the intersection of Victoria Park Ave. and Danforth Ave. This intersection is an example of current inequitable street design, despite the existing need for development, in a predominantly immigrant and newcomer neighbourhood, where collision rates and vulnerable road user fatalities are higher than in most parts of Toronto. This intersection marks the boundary between existing active transportation infrastructure on the Danforth and the dangerous arterial-style roads that continue east from this point. Once one crosses this border, they are faced with increased reckless driving and risk of collision, nerve-wracking cycling and walking environments, and amplified noise pollution, among other changes.
This image also highlights the potential solutions to improve the design for better infrastructure connectivity with the existing cycling lanes on the Danforth. This would calm traffic, increase multimodal mobility, safety, and improve health, pedestrian experience, community development, and local economy.
I was compelled to take this image because, as mentioned above, Access Alliance (my place of work and volunteering since 2021) is located at this intersection, and my additional experience with transportation advocacy in this area have only reaffirmed the systemic barriers that are placed on this neighbourhood. With Access Alliance’s Scarborough Cycles program, accounts from community members, and my personal experiences, I witness the impact of this lack of infrastructure. The image above highlights systemic disregard, despite the potential for improvement and noticeable need. But, it also ignites my curiosity and motivates me to advocate for solutions and to advocate for communities facing danger, discomfort, and systemic barriers.
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It’s important to note that thing idea of extending the bike lanes east of Victoria Park is not my own. In fact, the Danforth-Kingston 4 ALL project proposed just that. It advocated to extend cycling lanes east of Victoria Park along the Danforth, until Kingston Rd. and Cliffside Drive, where it would then continue along Kingston Rd. until Scarborough Golf Club Rd. It follows the Complete Streets Guidelines, policy frameworks for designing roads that accommodate ALL users (pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, motorists) regardless of age and mobility, with safety and accessibility at the forefront. This framework also brings multiple other benefits, including:
- Improved physical and mental health;
- Improved quality of life through pleasant public space design. Considering streets as public space, rather than a corridor to pass through.
- Increased economic activity and business development, as more vibrant streets attract higher foot traffic for establishments.
Unfortunately, the Danforth-Kingston 4 ALL has not been approved by City Council in its entirety. Rather, the project was renamed A Safer Kingston Road, which does not include the proposed bicycle lanes on the Danforth.
Although this is still a win for the cycling community, and will greatly impact the cyclists in deeper Scarborough who depend on Kingston Rd for their commute, there is still progress to be made to bring this same level of safety and assurance to the Scarborough Southwest community which begins at Victoria Park.
When implementing transportation infrastructure, the goal should be connectivity, and creating a well-connected web of infrastructure that is efficient and easy to navigate. My time spent in this area only affirms the existing need (and demand) for this infrastructure, and I am confident that this portion of infrastructure will be approved in the future.
For more information, you can check out Scarborough Cycles’ website to learn about their operations and mission to strengthen road safety, transportation equity, and cycling culture in Toronto through community-oriented programming.
This blog post built on my statement of interest for the TMU Master’s of Urban Innovation program.
Vida Mirkovic is an Interim Communications Lead at Urban Minds, a long-time volunteer and cycling advocate, and aspiring Master’s of Planning student.
