[Admiral Beez]

I assume so. This information comes from here: http://oldstonehenge.com/portfolio/433-435-parliament-street/

They use their logo and everything. Maybe he doesn't know because it will be many months before the space is actually ready.

It's nice to see more national chains coming to Parliament, as they usually do their research and confirm the economic and retail viability of an area. I'm not really a fan of having restaurants dominant a street, and instead prefer a mix of restaurants, retail and services.

 

[Admiral Beez]

It's funny, The Source is a client of ours and I was talking to one of their marketing guys about their new store opening up on Parliment and he said, we don't have any stores opening on Parliment. Weird. Are we talking about the electronics retailer?

The Source is owned by Bell Canada, so perhaps it's going to be a Bell storefront?

 

[Towered]

What happened to the shiny copper roof at Parliament and Carlton??

 

[Admiral Beez]

The Source sign is now up. It's great to see quality retail (and yes, IMO that includes Dollarama) south of Spruce on Parliament.

 

[hawc]

That's great new. Now when will something move in to the three gaping holes north of the HOP?

 

[wwwebster]

Submitted for your consideration:

For a few years now I’ve noticed that The Epicure Shop at 473 Parliament puts out a table and two chairs on the sidewalk in front of their store, and then labels them “For Customers Only.†This year, I see they’re now putting out two tables and four chairs, again labelled “For Customers Only.â€

It seems unlikely to me that the City would issue a Patio/Boulevard Café Permit for such a narrow, high-traffic sidewalk, and given the lack of a defined, fenced-in area, I’m assuming they don’t have a permit. Now, I know they haven’t “installed†anything, but it seems to me that placing the furniture out on public property and then prohibiting its use by non-customers is basically establishing a patio without adhering to the rules that govern such things.

These links are relevant to the issue:

http://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebase/86/101000037786.html

http://www1.toronto.ca/City Of Toro...Former Toronto Boulevard Cafe Application.pdf

What say you good people? Are they skirting the rules, or am I just being a prick?

 

[nfitz]

Submitted for your consideration:

For a few years now I’ve noticed that The Epicure Shop at 473 Parliament puts out a table and two chairs on the sidewalk in front of their store, and then labels them “For Customers Only.” This year, I see they’re now putting out two tables and four chairs, again labelled “For Customers Only.”

It seems unlikely to me that the City would issue a Patio/Boulevard Café Permit for such a narrow, high-traffic sidewalk, and given the lack of a defined, fenced-in area, I’m assuming they don’t have a permit. Now, I know they haven’t “installed” anything, but it seems to me that placing the furniture out on public property and then prohibiting its use by non-customers is basically establishing a patio without adhering to the rules that govern such things.

These links are relevant to the issue:

http://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebase/86/101000037786.html

http://www1.toronto.ca/City Of Toro...Former Toronto Boulevard Cafe Application.pdf

What say you good people? Are they skirting the rules, or am I just being a prick?

That seems most uncivil. In my neighbourhood, many stores put out chairs or benches ... and they are mostly used by passers-by.

I can't see how one can possibly restrict them to customers on a public sidewalk, without first obtaining a permit.

 

[The Golem]

Are you being facetious or is this a real big concern for you?

Yesterday Lennie's Health Foods had a table on the sidewalk with someone handing out free samples of a new product. Harumph! How dare those presumptuous scoundrels misuse OUR sidewalks for their own commercial purposes. It's an outrage. An affront to the decent taxpaying citizen folks which brings shame to all of Cabbagetown!!! It's complete anarchy on those sidewalks, threatening a total breakdown of our social structure.
And what about the No Frills Xmas tree lot every winter?! A total abuse of sidewalk etiquette that needs to be disallowed!!!

 

[DSC]

Submitted for your consideration:

For a few years now I’ve noticed that The Epicure Shop at 473 Parliament puts out a table and two chairs on the sidewalk in front of their store, and then labels them “For Customers Only.” This year, I see they’re now putting out two tables and four chairs, again labelled “For Customers Only.”

It seems unlikely to me that the City would issue a Patio/Boulevard Café Permit for such a narrow, high-traffic sidewalk, and given the lack of a defined, fenced-in area, I’m assuming they don’t have a permit. Now, I know they haven’t “installed” anything, but it seems to me that placing the furniture out on public property and then prohibiting its use by non-customers is basically establishing a patio without adhering to the rules that govern such things.

These links are relevant to the issue:

http://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebase/86/101000037786.html

http://www1.toronto.ca/City Of Toro...Former Toronto Boulevard Cafe Application.pdf

What say you good people? Are they skirting the rules, or am I just being a prick?

They are skirting (or breaking) the rules as one is not allowed to block the sidewalk unless you have a permit. Whether you are a prick or not I cannot say but if you complain to 311 and the (apparently useful) street furniture is removed we may know the answer! Can pedestrians and wheelchairs get past easily?

 

[Jonny5]

They are skirting (or breaking) the rules as one is not allowed to block the sidewalk unless you have a permit. Whether you are a prick or not I cannot say but if you complain to 311 and the (apparently useful) street furniture is removed we may know the answer! Can pedestrians and wheelchairs get past easily?

Parliaments' sidewalks are narrow to begin with. In fact, the study by the BIA shows they average less than 3 metres. Additionally they are already filled with all manner of obstacles: mailboxes, garbage cans, hydro poles, ttc power poles, bike posts, trees (many half dead), sandwich boards and signs, people standing in the middle of the sidewalk waiting for the streetcar or bus, people standing IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK FOR NO REASON AT ALL. It's bad enough that the BIA wants trees removed in a proposed redesign.

It's also a very busy pedestrian street, and it has the highest rate of people using scooters/walkers/wheelchairs/canes/ that I have seen of any street in Toronto. I guess the large supply of low cost housing in the area attracts people who live on disability payments. These tables and chairs are just one more frustrating obstacle to getting around and I imagine it is difficult for people who have trouble getting past things like this. This store also has a sandwich board out at the same spot blocking the sidewalk too, and it's right at the busy streetcar stop. I avoid shopping on the street even though it's the closest to me because it's just too difficult to get around. The stores themselves are not busy inside, but I can walk somewhere further away and get back much more quickly.

 

[wwwebster]

Can pedestrians and wheelchairs get past easily?

It depends on the time of day. Jonny5 has pretty accurately described the situation there. When there are a lot of people waiting for the streetcar it can get pretty congested. Fortunately for me I’m slim and able-bodied, but for those with mobility issues or strollers or shopping carts, I imagine it can be a pain.

There’s a restaurant on the other side of Parliament a little further south that puts out tables and chairs, but the storefront is set back from the property line, so they’re on private property and don’t interfere with the flow.

As for 311, I’ve not yet made up my mind on that.

 

[Stupidandshallow]

It looks like work has resumed at the old HOP!

I also noticed work at the previous Ginger site and there's a new southern restaurant going into the old sushi place at Parliament and Carlton. Adjacent to that place is something going in called "London Calling"!

 

[Admiral Beez]

It looks like work has resumed at the old HOP!

I had a look in there too yesterday. I was surprised to see interior framing with wood studs, as most commercial today is done with steel studs.

As an aside, I remember my first jobsite condo visit and noticing that the only thing stopping a break-in into any condo unit from the hallway was two sheets of drywall inserted into the steel studs. A hand operated drywall saw could easily break into any condo unit today.

 

[taal]

I had a look in there too yesterday. I was surprised to see interior framing with wood studs, as most commercial today is done with steel studs.

As an aside, I remember my first jobsite condo visit and noticing that the only thing stopping a break-in into any condo unit from the hallway was two sheets of drywall inserted into the steel studs. A hand operated drywall saw could easily break into any condo unit today.

Don't know how true this is ; - ) ... really depends on the layout of the unit. So for example, there are many where part of a unit may front an elevator shaft or the bathroom be the first thing between the hallway and the unit, implying its not just dry wall but likely a lot of pluming to go through.

But I'm sure for some units this is possible !

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

Not to mention by the time they get a hole cut into the wall - the police will already be there