In the early hours this morning something was dramatically different - it was quiet, for the first time in over a week. Better still, having risked an open window, tentative peeps were heard from the sparrows, growing stronger and then the gulls came adding their cries. Peace at last - the blasted generator was gone and replaced with something much quieter.

The 500+ affected residents and workers of Camden and Adelaide Streets have been through a week from hell: seven days of pounding noise 24/7, noxious diesel fumes polluting neighbourhood and city, excessive stress, interrupted sleep, headaches, and other health ailments affecting work and privates lives. What a cost. 

And for what? To repair a mistake made from running a power line across one private property to another. The parties involved have a lot to answer. No one comes out unstained: terrible public relations for Brad Lamb Corporation; numerous questions about Toronto Hydro providing power to customers; and a system at City Hall that could permit such a generator to be installed as the temporary corrective.

Worst of all is the shameful and utterly disdainful treatment of fellow citizens. Knowing there was a problem for a building with 200 units, had the Lamb Corporation connected with the GDNA weeks or months prior to the installation of the generator, much, if not all of this would have been avoided. So many interventions and hours spent on correcting this gaffe. One can but hope this is a lesson learned by all who work and live in this catchment. Meet first with the people most affected. Make that the starting point of your work plan and go from there. But know this: the GDNA is now bigger, stronger, and more important to the community than a week ago.

HUGE THANKS to all residents and workers who took the time to express in writing, who made phone calls to 311, to the City, to Health and Environmental departments, to Hydro, and within their own condo buildings to bring civic action to bear on this unbearable situation. 

Onward and upward!

Catherine Mitchell

Lamb Development Corporation built the condominium Brant Park, 39 Brant Street, at the corner of Adelaide Street West, running its power supply to the building partially through the property at 51 Camden Street.  When Alterra was prepping the Camden site for a new hotel, this encroachment was discovered and construction activity came to an abrupt stop.  Brad Lamb himself shares some details in this capture of his Facebook post dated April 26th.

In this post, Mr. Lamb admits that the need for this “correction” was known as early as December 2016.  But there was no communication to residents of the Brant Park building let alone to neighbouring residents and businesses about what had transpired or about what was going to happen.

Over the weekend, neighbours became further sensitized when it was discovered that this humungous generator was spewing exhaust at the rate of 500 litres of diesel fuel a day!  And directly under the windows of 250 residents with another 250 affected nearby.

Monday morning finally saw action and by evening Councillor Cressy was able to give this report.  This evening (Tuesday the 26th) we received this further update from his office.

We will continue to keep the neighbourhood up to date on the progress of (and explanation for) this debacle via our mailing list which anyone can join.

Reported by CBC Toronto News

Anyone living between Richmond and Adelaide and from Maud to Spadina will have heard the non-stop grind of a diesel engine which arrived on the eve of Earth Day. Not the best surprise from the Lamb Corporation but they claim it was necessary to ensure power to Brant Park condos due to a Hydro power line glitch. 'Who's on first' is of less concern to the residents and businesses within this catchment. We live and work here and now have to contend with 24/7 noise and 500 litres of diesel exhaust, DAILY. It's not pretty. Residents should make their feelings known by writing Councillor Cressy, calling 311 at the City, the Health Department, calling Toronto Hydro, the Lamb Corporation and even the Ministry of Environment. While no doubt regrettable, this situation may not be fully rectified for several weeks. Stay tuned.

Residents and workers in the neighbourhood came out today to celebrate Earth Day, and lend a hand to cleaning up St. Andrew's Park.

Thanks to all for coming out on a glorious Earth Day to clean up the park. Special thanks to Patricia and gang for providing coffee and snacks for us. And to Joe Cressy, our Councillor, for paying us a visit.