A chilling incident has reignited the debate over safety on Toronto’s Parkside Drive. On November 27th, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Parkside Drive and Howard Park Avenue, prompting renewed calls for action from the community group, Safe Parkside.
The collision occurred just two weeks after the province abruptly banned speed cameras, a decision that now feels particularly ominous to residents. Safe Parkside’s co-chair, Faraz Gholizadeh, expressed hope for the injured pedestrian’s recovery, but also voiced a growing frustration with a pattern of “predictable, preventable and unacceptable” incidents.
The group’s letter to Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Gord Perks directly questions the timeline for promised safety measures. Specifically, they ask when the city will install speed humps to replace the previously active, and highly effective, Parkside speed camera.
However, the response is anticipated, and deeply disheartening: city regulations currently prohibit speed humps on major arterial roads like Parkside Drive. Safe Parkside sharply counters this, pointing out that the same regulations *require* sidewalks on both sides of such roads – a basic safety feature often lacking adequate protection.
The Mayor’s office acknowledged the tragedy, stating that keeping residents safe is a top priority. They highlighted existing measures taken to improve conditions on Parkside Drive, including a reduced speed limit, new traffic signals, enhanced lighting, and sidewalk upgrades.
The city had also attempted a comprehensive redesign, incorporating dedicated cycle lanes, but this plan is currently stalled due to recent provincial legislation. Despite the setback, the Mayor’s office affirmed continued advocacy for speed cameras, recognizing their proven effectiveness in saving lives.
The history of Parkside Drive is tragically marked by loss. The installation of the speed camera in 2022 followed the devastating deaths of Valdemar and Fatima Avila, an elderly couple killed by a speeding driver at Spring Road in October 2021. Even with the camera in place, it was repeatedly vandalized, a disturbing sign of resistance to safety measures.
Now, facing inaction from authorities, residents are taking matters into their own hands. They’ve found a workaround to keep crosswalk buttons permanently activated, a desperate attempt to slow traffic and increase pedestrian visibility. This ingenuity underscores the community’s deep-seated concern and the city’s perceived failure to address the ongoing danger.
A request for comment from the Ministry of Transportation regarding the speed camera ban and potential solutions remains unanswered, leaving the future of Parkside Drive’s safety hanging in the balance.
