Safety Audit Report Card – Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., Danforth Rd. - Ward 38 1

Audit conducted on 23rd

of March 2013

SAFETY AUDIT REPORT CARD SUMMARY

AUDIT DATE: March 23, 2013

AUDIT GROUP: Residents

AUDIT AREA: Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., and Danforth Rd.

Ward 38 – Scarborough Centre

Neighbourhood 138 – Eglinton East

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

METRAC’s Safety Audit looks at how social and physical environments can make an area safe or unsafe. METRAC defines safety as ‘freedom from the threat, fear, and experience of all forms of

violence, oppression, and discrimination.’

The Community Safety Audit was organized by the City of Toronto’s Crisis Response Team. The audit was held as part of a larger project to address safety concerns in south-east Scarborough.

The area audited for this report included the Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., and

Danforth area. The safety audit was conducted on March 23, 2013 at 12:30 pm. Two male

individuals between the ages of 21 and 29 participated in the audit.

Ward 38 has a higher population of people children and youth under the age of 24 compared to

the City.1 The Ward has a higher population of visible minorities (66.1%) compared with the City

at 46.9%.2 There is a slightly higher number of new immigrants (25.6%) compared to the City

(21.6%) in the Ward and there is also has a higher percentage of people with low income in

comparison with the rest of the City.3

The top four safety priorities identified by participants were:

Youth programs

Traffic speed

Traffic lights

Pot holes

1 http://www.toronto.ca/wardprofiles/pdf/profile-ward38-2011.pdf

2 http://www.toronto.ca/wards2000/pdf/2006/ward38_2006profiles.pdf

3 http://www.toronto.ca/wards2000/pdf/2006/ward38_2006profiles.pdf

Safety Audit Report Card – Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., Danforth Rd. - Ward 38 2

Audit conducted on 23rd

of March 2013

WALKABOUT PHOTO SUMMARY

Safety Audit Report Card – Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., Danforth Rd. - Ward 38 3

Audit conducted on 23rd

of March 2013

SAFETY PRIORITIES

AREA PRIORITIES RECOMMENDATIONS Eglinton Ave. E.,

McCowan Rd.,

Trudelle St., and

Danforth Rd.

1. Youth Programs

More youth programs

are needed in the area,

particularly for youth

aged 10-18. Programs should

provide transportation for

youth and possibly pick

youth up for the programs.

Contact local political

representatives (Councillor,

MPP, MP) about the need for

more youth programming in

the area.

Contact local social services to

provide more youth programs.

Contact local youth to create a

youth group in the area and

apply for funding to provide

transportation for youth to

access programming.

2. Traffic Speed

Traffic in the area is too

fast and there needs to

be lower speed limits and

traffic calmers on

residential streets, such

as Trudelle St. where cars go

above the 40 speed limit

particularly when driving

around the corner.

Contact Councillor and the

City’s Transportation Services

department about assessing

the speed limits in the area,

particularly on Trudelle St. and

possibly putting in traffice

calmers in the area such as

speed bumps, etc.

3. Traffic Lights

Need more traffic lights

and crosswalks in the

area so that children are

not hit when crossing the

road.

Contact your Councillor and

the City’s Transportation

Services to assess the area for

new crosswalks and stops

lights.

4. Potholes

Potholes in the area

are bad and need to

be fixed.

Call 311 to report potholes on

public roads.

Contact property managers for

potholes on private property.

Safety Audit Report Card – Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., Danforth Rd. - Ward 38 4

Audit conducted on 23rd

of March 2013

OVERVIEW OF SAFETY AUDIT RESULTS

The information below is based on the results of the survey and comments made during the safety audit walkabout.

Recommendations for action were both stated by participants and based on participants’ concerns.

A - Very Good B - Good C - Ok D - Substandard F– Poor

GENERAL

IMPRESSIONS

B- All participants stated they felt safe in the area and that they feel safe in the area when they are alone.

All of the participants stated they do not avoid doing things in the community if they don’t feel safe. Participants did not feel unsafe in any specific places in the area audited.

SAFETY

FEATURES

GRADE SAFETY CONCERNS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION CONTACT

LIGHTING

B- Participants stated lights are not

blocked by trees and/or bushes.

Participants stated that paths and

sidewalks are not well lit.

Ensure area is well lit and that all broken

lights are fixed in the area.

Provide residents with information

about who to contact if they see lights

that are broken or out within area.

Ensure all paths and sidewalks, and signs

are well lit.

Contact Toronto

Hydro about broken

lights on City

property. Report

broken lights at this

website:

https://www.toronto

hydro.com/sites/elect

ricsystem/residential/

customercare/pages/

reportastreetlightout.

aspx

Councillor to

distribute information

Safety Audit Report Card – Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., Danforth Rd. - Ward 38 5

Audit conducted on 23rd

of March 2013

to residents about

who to contact when

City lights are broken

and need to be

replaced.

Contact Councillor

and property

managers to request

more lighting near

paths, sidewalks and

near signs.

SIGNS and

MAPS

B- Participants stated there are no signs

showing where to go for help in

emergencies.

Ensure there are signs showing where to

go for help in an emergency in the area.

Add the following signs in the area:

- Drive slow

- People walking signs

Contact Councillor

and property

managers to ensure

signs are located in

highly visible

locations.

Contact Councillor

and property

managers about

installing emergency

signs in area.

Contact Councillor

regarding the need

for additional signs in

area, as noted.

Safety Audit Report Card – Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., Danforth Rd. - Ward 38 6

Audit conducted on 23rd

of March 2013

TRAFFIC

C One participant stated there needs to

be a crosswalk between the water park

and the basketball court.

All participants stated traffic in the

area is too fast and that the area needs

speed bumps or lower speed limit.

All of the participants stated that there

are not enough bike lanes/paths in the

area.

There is no sidewalk on Shaddock

Crescent.

Ask for an traffic assessment of the area

to consider if a crosswalk and/or traffic

lights are needed in the following areas:

- Between the water park and

basketball court on Trudelle St.

Assess traffic in the area to determine if

the area needs traffic calmers such as

speed bumps or lower speed limits.

Assess the need for bike lanes along the

ravine.

Create a sidewalk for pedestrians on

Shaddock Crescent.

Contact Councillor

about having a traffic

assessment done in

the area to assess the

need for crosswalk,

traffic lights, speed

bumps and/or lower

speed limit in the

area, and a sidewalk

on Shaddock

Crescent.

Contact Councillor

and Transportation

Services about adding

traffic signs and

traffic calmers.

Contact Councillor

about the need for

more bike lanes in

the area.

Work with local

community

organizations such as

Cycle Toronto to

promote the need for

more bike lanes.

Safety Audit Report Card – Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., Danforth Rd. - Ward 38 7

Audit conducted on 23rd

of March 2013

TTC

C- Both participants stated they use

public transit.

Participants stated they generally feel

safe on public transit and feel safe

waiting for the bus at night.

One participant stated the Bellamy 9

bus needs to run later and more

frequently.

All of the participants stated there are

no signs showing who to call in the

case of emergencies on the TTC.

Assess bus routes and frequency to

determine if there should be an increase

of bus frequency in the area, particularly

for the 9 Bellamy bus.

Ensure all TTC bus stops are well lit, and

have emergency signs.

Install emergency phones near TTC

stops.

Contact TTC about

the need for lighting

at bus stops, to add

emergency signs at

bus stops and to

increase service.

Contact Councillor

about the need for

more lighting at bus

stops in the area and

for emergency

phones to be located

near TTC stops. Also

ask Councillor to

advocate increasing

bus service in the

area.

ISOLATION

B- All participants stated that the area is

full of people during the day, while it is

not full of people at night.

All participants stated people could

hear them if they screamed for help in

the area.

Both participants stated there are

different safe, well lit routes people

can use in the area.

Create a community watch group in

conjunction with the local Business

Improvement Association (BIA) and

small businesses to form a network of

places people can go to if they need

help.

Ensure community members know who

to call in case of emergencies in the

area.

Contact Councillor,

BIA and community

members to create a

community watch

group in the area.

Contact Crime

Prevention

Association of

Toronto for

assistance in creating

Safety Audit Report Card – Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., Danforth Rd. - Ward 38 8

Audit conducted on 23rd

of March 2013

community watch

groups.

www.cpatoronto.org

VISIBILITY

B- Participants stated they are able to

clearly see ahead of them.

Both participants stated that walls or

fences, trees or bushes, and cars and

other vehicles do not block their view.

Participants stated they can see the

end of paths and walkways.

All participants stated there are places

where people could hide and wait for

people. Participants stated these

places are found throughout the area.

Install security mirrors in areas where

there are sharp corners and blind-spots.

Look at areas where people can hide and

work as a community to see what

measures can be done to reduce risk in

those areas, including adding more

lighting, trimming bushes/trees, and

having motion detection lights.

Contact Councillor

and property

managers to add

security mirrors in

areas with sharp

corners and more

lighting in areas

where people can

hide.

MAINTENANCE

C Participants stated that the area is not

clean and maintained and there is a lot

of garbage in the area.

Both participants stated that there are

no hate slogans in the area.

All participants stated there are no

signs showing who to call for

maintenance issues in the area.

Organize a community clean up day to

clean areas that might have a lot of

garbage.

Inform residents about who to contact

about maintenance issues.

Contact property

managers, Councillor

and community

organizations to

organize a day to

clean the garbage in

the area.

Ask Councillor to

send out information

about 311 services.

Safety Audit Report Card – Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., Danforth Rd. - Ward 38 9

Audit conducted on 23rd

of March 2013

ACCESSIBILITY

C Both participants stated it is difficult to

move around the area using a

wheelchair and/or stroller.

Both participants stated there are

working elevators in buildings.

Ensure all sidewalks and paved surfaces

are flat to ensure people the area is

accessible for people using wheelchairs,

motorized vehicles, and/or strollers.

Ensure the area and all buildings are

accessible with parking spots for people

with disabilities, ramps to entrances,

wide enough doors, automatic doors,

signs with large print for people who

have visual impairments and mailboxes

and doorbells are at heights that people

using mobility devices can reach.

Contact property

managers of buildings

and local BIA to

ensure buildings are

accessible and that

there are enough

accessible parking

spaces.

Contact Councillor to

ensure that City signs

can be easily read by

people with visual

impairments and that

sidewalk and

walkways are flat for

people using

wheelchairs,

motorized vehicles

and strollers.

SECURITY

C- Participants stated there are working

security and fire alarms in the area.

Both participants stated that the area

is patrolled by police and stated that

police are not helpful and do not

respect everyone.

Provide information to residents about

the security features in the community.

Hold a community meeting to discuss

police interaction with community

members in the neighbourhood.

Brainstorm ideas how to improve the

relationship between the police and

community members.

Ask Councillor to

have a community

meeting about local

security features

Hold a community

meeting with

Councillor, police,

community services

Safety Audit Report Card – Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., Danforth Rd. - Ward 38 10

Audit conducted on 23rd

of March 2013

and residents to

discuss concerns with

police in the area.

COMMUNITY

and PERSONAL

SAFETY

C Participants said the following

community services are available in

the area: community centre, food

bank, school, library, housing, police,

community health centre, and youth

services.

Both participants stated the

community needs the following

services; housing, community centre,

seniors services, food bank, and youth

services.

One participant stated that in order to

feel safe in the area they just be

themselves.

One participant stated they were

unsure if they had heard or seen

people being discriminated against in

the neighbourhood.

Playground on Trudelle St. is

surrounded by high metal fence, which

makes the are feel unsafe.

Residents reported the need for more,

housing, community centre, senior’s services, food bank, and youth services.

Ensure that all residents know of

community organizations that provide

social services in the area.

Have a community forum with the

Councillor and local organizations about

increasing community services in the

area, particularly youth programming.

Work with property managers and

Councillor to redevelop area around

Trudelle St. to make it more community

friendly, such as a community garden,

park, etc.

Contact all levels of

government

regarding increase in

community services

and programming.

Contact Councillor

and staff at The Hub

to provide residents

with information

about the social

services available in

the area.

Contact local

organizations and

Councillor to discuss

increasing youth

programming in area.

Meet with property

managers, residents

and Councillor to

make space around

Trudelle St more

welcoming.

Safety Audit Report Card – Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., Danforth Rd. - Ward 38 11

Audit conducted on 23rd

of March 2013

CONTACT INFORMATION

CITY CONTACTS

City Councillor: Glenn De Baeremaeker

Ward: 38 Scarborough Centre

Address: 100 Queen Street West, Suite B31, Toronto, ON, M5H 2N2

Phone: 416-392-0204|Fax: 416-392-7428

Email: councillor_debaeremaeker@toronto.ca

Toronto Police Services Division – 43 Division

Address: 4331 Lawrence Ave. E., Toronto, ON, M1E 2T4

Phone: 416-808-4300|Fax: 416-808-4302

Website: http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/d43/

Community Response Unit Manager: Staff Sergeant Peter Moreira

Phone: (416) 808-4313

Toronto 3-1-1 (formerly Access Toronto)

Phone: 311 | TTY customers: 416-338-0889

Website: www.toronto.ca/311/

Toronto 2-1-1 (database of community services and organizations in Toronto)

Phone: 211 | TTY customers: 1-888-340-1001

Website: www.211toronto.ca

City of Toronto Parks and Recreation

Website: http://www.toronto.ca/parks/

City of Toronto Transportation Services

Website: http://www.toronto.ca/transportation/

City of Toronto Solid Waste Management

Website: http://www.toronto.ca/garbage/

Municipal Licensing & Standards (ML&S) Division

Website: http://www.toronto.ca/licensing/index.htm

City of Toronto Apartment Standards

Website: http://www.toronto.ca/apartmentstandards/home.htm

Toronto Hydro Electric System (Streetlights)

Phone: 416-542-3195

Website: www.torontohydro.com

Note: Contact about lights that are out and blocked by trees/shrubs. Also try to have exact location of

light (ie. poll # or area/road description.)

Safety Audit Report Card – Eglinton Ave. E., McCowan Rd., Trudelle St., Danforth Rd. - Ward 38 12

Audit conducted on 23rd

of March 2013

LOCAL COMMUNITY SERVICES Canadian Red Cross. Toronto Region. Scarborough Drop-In

Address: 700 Kennedy Rd. Toronto

Phone: 416-267-0115

Website: www.redcross.ca

East Metro Youth Services

Address: 1200 Markham Road, Suite 200, Scarborough

Phone: 416-438-3697

Website: www.emys.on.ca

East Scarborough Storefront

Address: 4040 Lawrence Ave E.

Phone: 416-208-9889

Website: www.thestorefront.org

Griffin Centre

Address: 24 Silverview Drive

Phone: 416-222-1153

Website: www.griffin-centre.org

Rosalie Hall

Address: 3020 Lawrence Avenue East, Scarborough

Phone: 416-438-6880

Website: www.rosaliehall.com

Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities

Address: 2660 Eglinton Avenue East

Phone: Community Health Centre 416-642-9445

Website: www.schcontario.ca

Youth Engagement Program

Phone: 416-642-9445 ext. 4473

Scarborough Housing Help Centre

Address: 2500 Lawrence Ave. E.

Phone: 416-285-8070

Website: www.shhc.org/

West Scarborough Community Legal Services

Address: 2425 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 201, Scarborough

Phone: 416-285-4460

Website: www.westscarboroughlegal.ca