August downpour highlights Yellow Creek issues
A brief but heavy rainfall on August 10, 2026, produced more erosion and stream overflow in the Vale, underlining the importance of the work that is planned with the Vale of Avoca Improvement Project.
News
Development in the DPRG area
There are currently almost 20 developments proposed for the Deer Park area, mostly highrises, and centred around Yonge and St. Clair. See the development chart for the status of each project.
Back to school community safety BBQ
Toronto 53 Division is running a back to school community safety BBQ on Wednesday, September 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Yonge Eglinton Centre square at 2300 Yonge St. Come and enjoy free hotdogs, treats and community safety activities. Help cram a cruiser with school supplies to help kids in need.
MPAC and derelict high streets
The DPRG has over the last couple of years advocated for animating all the vacant storefronts in the area as we wait for the developers to, well, develop, but as we saw with our pickleball courts, the path to animated high streets is not a smooth one. As soon as a vacant site is activated with any kind of temporary/interim activity, the province’s Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) will reclassify the property from vacant to commercial triggering a much higher tax rate.
Hot apartments
Councillor Matlow’s more than a decade long crusade to see a maximum allowable indoor temperature by-law will take effect in Summer 2027. This is a timeline that was moved up by at least two summers from what was originally recommended by City staff. The bylaw would require all rental units to stay below 26ºC, including buildings that currently do not have air conditioning.
Avoca stewardship update
For anyone concerned about the Vale of Avoca, there’s no need to wait for the completion of the master plan, important though that is. Last month community volunteers got to work on ecological stewardship of the ravine through a joint project between the Midtown Ravines Group and Toronto Nature Stewards.
Vale of Avoca – contract awarded
With summer temperatures reaching peak levels, our local Vale of Avoca ravine continues to provide a natural refuge for Deer Park residents doing their best in the heat. Measures leading to rehabilitation of the ravine will soon be entering a more active phase. The City of Toronto has recently awarded a contract for the development of a master plan for the ravine to engineering, architectural and environmental consultancy GHD.
135 St. Clair Ave. West update
We have something of an update relative to the pending project at Avenue and St Clair, which is a 50-storey purpose-built luxury rental being developed by Fitzrovia. The Fitzrovia team indicates that they are still working through design and technical details of the 50-storey purpose-built luxury rental project at Avenue Rd. & St. Clair. Scheduling is still largely unknown, but a consultation meeting is possible for August and demolition of the existing site is still scheduled for the fall.
Delisle Court redevelopment update
As many of you know, there is a plan to demolish Delisle Court to construct a community/cultural/theatre centre. There are a number of objections to the proposal, including: a building taller than the existing structure; an entrance atrium rising to the height of the eighth floor of the adjacent apartment building at 10 Delisle; a four-storey mechanical penthouse; a rooftop outdoor amenity space overlooking private balconies and terraces; and the absence of street-level retail along the entire Yonge Street frontage, creating an inactive streetscape reminiscent of the Eaton Centre.
AGM Summary
Thanks to all of you who took the time to attend our AGM on June 11, 2026 at Calvin Presbyterian Church. In addition to all the standard AGM topics and highlights of the board’s activities, Councillor Matlow led a town hall.