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Zamboni Trail Pavement Required

request made on April 10, 2006

The ruts around the rink are caused by the zamboni, We need to have the zamboni path paved for next winter so that the ground is not messed up worse and also because the zamboni tracks dirt onto the ice and then in March the dirt makes the ice get all pitted and dangerous.

In spring, the farmers use that entry for about six weeks and their vehicles don't improve the ruts.

Please ask the maintenance folks to get the zamboni trail paved as soon as possible. This is about the 13th year that the ruts have been raised as a problem. They also make the rink harder to operate because they make the swing gate useless in warm weather. When it's muddy, the on-site zamboni uses the lift gate but the flying squad, when they take the zamboni for elsewhere or return it, still use the rutted access. So the paving needs to wrap around the rink from the end of Gladstone.

repeat request, May 1, 2006, cc to Councillor's office

Have you had any response on the paving of the zamboni path this summer? Please let them know that having a mud track for the zamboni compromises ice quality by embedding mud in the ice. The ruts left by the zamboni are still there now, only dry. Please let us know if the City can't do it so that we can appeal to the community to collect money for asphalt, and to the unions to help us out with volunteer equipment.

response from Councillor's office, May 11, 2006

It seems that some path paving for Dufferin Grove Park is in the budget for this year. More news soon.

repeat request to supervisor, cc to Councillor Giambrone, May 20,2006

summer mud ruts beside the rink

Here is the latest photo of the mud ruts that wrap around the rink -- the day after a delivery from Booth Avenue with the big truck. This route is also a better emergency access for fire trucks etc than the front access -- and most service vehicles come in and out this way, as do the farmers on market day. So the ruts keep getting bigger.

Please let us know what, if any, plans exist to pave this strip.

Meeting date May 26, 2006

Kevin Beaulieu, assistant to City Councillor Adam Giambrone, set up a site meeting with Parks manager Sandy Straw. Sandy looked at the mud and the ruts and agreed to put the paving of the upper part of the path on the park to-do list for this year, as the first priority. The first sections that need to be paved are from the north end of the park at Gladstone Ave., to the swing-gate rink exit on the east side of the hockey rink, and from that gate south to wrap around to the east chain-link gates between the pleasure-skating rink and the basketball court.

Sandy also said that the rest of the mud path will be put on the list for paving in future. She agreed that there is no other Toronto park of comparable size that has an unpaved dirt road as its main thoroughfare.

Park planner sighting, June 2006

A planner was seen taking measurements for the paved path. He said it would only be put in if there was money to do it.

Measurements taken, June 30, 2006

Park staff Doug Muir was seen taking measurements for the paved path. He said that he would be getting quotes and then see if the money is there.

From Jutta Mason to Parks supervisor Peter Leiss, August 30, 2006

Mayssan has passed along some questions from market manager Anne Freeman about the farmers' market this fall, and I can see that construction scheduling is going to be an interesting challenge here.

1. Sometime in October (?), a contractor will need access and pleasure-rink storage for some header trench work. 2. Sometime in October, a different contractor will be paving the muddy path that connects the two rinks externally and leads out to Gladstone Ave on the north. 3. Every Thursday, the park has a very well-attended farmers' market. 4. The hockey rink will continue as a very well-attended skateboard park until mid-October (?)

For three years now, the farmers have used the pleasure rink surface during October, so that they don't wreck the ground near Dufferin Street in the wet season. But it won't be available, right?

There can't be the usual mud-rut truck access from Gladstone (for header-trench construction) if the paving is being done there, so the header-trench company trucks will have to drive in around the tight corner in front of the rink house. But that corner will be full of farmers on Thursdays, if they can't be on the rink pad.

All these logistics sound tricky. Would a short site meeting make sense, early in September, with Anne and Mayssan and Peter and Tino?

Response from Parks manager Sandy Straw, August 30, 2006

I think we all better sit down SOON and coordinate these events to be the least disruptive. What time works folks??

Response from Parks supervisor Peter Leiss, August 30, 2006

I will available as required. Please let me know the date and time. Doug Muir should be involved as well.

From market manager Anne Freeman to park on-site staff Mayssan Shuja, August 31, 2006

As the days get shorter in October and the ground gets wetter, we are going to face serious difficulties if the market cannot move up to use the paving and lights of the rink area as we have in previous autumns. However, if there is any possibility of moving ahead with repaving the path in the basketball court/east side of the rink area soon, we could work out a successful arrangement. First of all, this would free up access for the crew coming in to work on the rink, and second, it would mean that we could move the market to the basketball court area and use those lights when we need to, ideally in early October. It would be very helpful if a date for the paving work could be confirmed asap. Thanks very much for passing along this request.

From park on-site staff Mayssan Shuja to Parks supervisor Peter Leiss, and others, Sept.3 2006

How does Friday Sept 8th sound at 10am?

Response from City Councillor Adam Giambrone's assistant Kevin Beaulieu, September 11, 2006

I had meant to send this to you quite a while ago.

On July 12, the Committee of Adjustment approved a proposal at 1636 Dundas Street West. Adam had requested in a letter that if they in fact saw fit to approve it, they attach a condition (among others) that "That the owner enter into an agreement under Section 45(9) of the Planning Act to provide $27,000 towards conducting a traffic study for the surrounding neighbourhood with any remaining funds to be directed to local parks improvements – specifically paving projects at Dufferin Grove Park."

Of course, those funds don't become available until the building permits are issued, but we understand that the developer does, in fact, plan to move ahead with it. Local residents have appealed the C of A's decision to the OMB, and we'll see what comes out of that process.

Response from Jutta Mason, September 11, 2006

path meeting

Thanks Kevin, the small part of the paving project (an asphalt path connecting the two rinks, and up to the north end of Gladstone, for the zamboni) is approved and ready to go. There was a site meeting about that and the Dufferin Rink header trench last Friday.

The bigger part -- i.e. paving the north/south thoroughfare suitable for strollers, bikes and wheelchairs -- will probably cost more than what would be available from the 1636 Dundas West project. Maybe it needs to be done in pieces. There's also the Havelock/ main-path connection that's still a mud rut. Those were the 1923 recommendations, so I'm sure they'll get done before too much longer. (joke)

Response from Parks supervisor Peter Leiss, September 11, 2006

I am waiting for a quote on the completion of the rest of the path

From Jutta Mason to Parks supervisor Peter Leiss, September 15, 2006

Peter, before you go on holidays: any update on the timing for the path paving? Were you able to tell them about the farmers' market schedule?

Response from Parks supervisor Peter Leiss, September 15, 2006

I have advised tech services of the Farmers Market issue. They will need at least 2 days to do the paving. They have not provided timelines as of yet.

Request to Parks supervisor Dave Chapman (covering for Peter Leiss on holidays) from Jutta Mason Sept.18 2006

I'm wondering if there's any word back from tech services about the timing for the asphalt path paving beside Dufferin Rink:

I imagine that the ideal time would be very soon, so that the path would be ready for the construction vehicles due at the park on Oct.2. (to work on the rink's header trench). Otherwise there will be no opportunity for paving until November when the trucks don't need to roll in and out every day.

Peter said the asphalt doesn't go down so well when it's cold, but we HAVE to have the path paved before the rink opens. Would you be able to see if you can help out here?

Response from Parks supervisor Dave Chapman, Sept.19 2006

I understand what you are saying, and I will ask about it immediately.

Additional information from Parks supervisor Dave Chapman, Sept.19 2006

I understand from Tech services that they have not yet received all of the information from the paver. As soon as they confirm a date for paving I will get back to you.

Telephone message from Parks Supervsior Peter Leiss to Dufferin Grove Park staff, early October 2006:

The paving of the path is scheduled for Monday October 16.

From Jutta Mason to Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss, Oct.16 2006

I see that as of 8.15 there was no sign of the paving company, Does that mean they've decided that the forecast is bad and they should wait until later in the week?

Even though they will pave on top of the existing path, they will have to bring lots of material to fill in the deep holes -- the removal of the skateboard park this past Saturday made the situation that much worse, with very deep mud ruts....Thank goodness this will finally be paved.

From Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss to Jutta Mason, Oct.16 2006

I will check on the paving work and let you know when I know.

From Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss to Jutta Mason, Oct.17 2006

I will confirm with Doug when the paving will be done.

From Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss to Jutta Mason, Oct.17 2006, later.

The paving is now scheduled to begin Friday this week.

From Jutta Mason to Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss, Oct.22 2006

It's too bad that the paving company must have been put off by the rain on Friday morning --as it turned out, there was no rain after mid-morning that day and none on Saturday either, so in hindsight they could have done the path. I notice that the forecast is okay for Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday -- so I'm hoping that you'll be able to get them into the park -- perhaps a short shower or two wouldn't be the end of the world? (They can take shelter in the rink house, with cookies.)

There is urgency now as you know, and the long-range forecast is very cold and wet. Is this work at the top of the list?

From Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss to Jutta Mason, Oct.23 2006.

It is not so much the workers that need protection as the pavement itself. I will stay on top of this to ensure that the paving is completed before the rink season commences.

From Jutta Mason to Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss, Oct.23 2006

I went by this morning, being hopeful. There are carpenters at the rink, and the CIMCO crew are working hard up at Wallace, but no sign of any paving here. Sad. The colder it gets, the shorter the life of the asphalt -- yes?

From Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss to Jutta Mason, Oct.23 2006.

The colder it gets has a minimal effect on the asphalt. I will check with Doug re timing.

From Jutta Mason to Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss, Oct.25 2006

The past two days had a few minutes of showers yesterday, nothing the day before, but the paving was not done. I'm glad you feel confident that you can assure me that the work will get done. But you can probably understand why my confidence is waning, since the request came first on April 10 and now we have a real cliff-hanger.

A question: what is stopping you from getting the huge holes filled in with screenings now so that at least the compacting can be done already, and be ready for when the paving finally begins?

From Parks manager Sandy Straw to Jutta Mason, Oct.25 2006

As you will recall, although our initial discussion and agreement to pave was done in April we had agreed the work would not be done until October. Who knew we would need a boat!

I too am frustrated with the rain and soaked soil which also presents a problem but we anticipate today is the day....we are doing our best but I have still not conquered control of the weather!!! The sun is out now...a good omen

From Jutta Mason to Parks manager Sandy Straw, Oct.25 2006

Actually if you have a look at the thread of paving e-mails, October was the month NOT to pave because people were going to be doing urgent work in the header trench from Oct.2 to the 20th. And leaving it later seemed tricky. However that work turned out not to be tendered and not to be urgent so that wasn't a problem.

the base layer

The other time NOT to pave was during the market, and of course tomorrow is Thursday. But they're just putting down the base layer now (gravel and asphalt) and they say it doesn't matter if the market trucks drive on it tomorrow. Then if they wait until Friday they can do the final coat. The Night of Dread folks walking over it on Saturday shouldn't hurt it too much, eh?

I gather from Mayssan that Peter wants all the farm trucks to drive in from the far end tomorrow, and Anne is a little concerned about the confusion -- are the pavers right that it doesn't matter if the trucks go on the base layer?

From Jutta Mason to Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss, Oct.29 2006

We're hoping that Monday is the day when the path paving will be completed. There is still a deep ditch by the basketball court -- people and a van got stuck in there during the Night of Dread, but no permanent harm done....

unpaved section

......and the final five feet between the paved section and the sidewalk didn't get paved either. The crew said they were unaware that this part was supposed to be paved. I'm sure their plan shows it, but if your project manager or yourself could have some direct contact with the crew on Monday, that could help to focus their minds.

gap to sidewalk

A police car got its muffler knocked off on Saturday when it went over the black posts that are supposed to be the barriers -- I guess that problem will be solved when the asphalt is in there and so the posts are not so high when they're on their sides?

There is also a twenty-foot section of base paving that didn't get the top layer put on when the paving crew were briefly here in the rain on Friday afternoon.

Response from Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss to Jutta Mason, Oct.30 2006

Thanks for the update.

I have spoken to the project supervisor regarding these issues. He will be speaking with the contractor to ensure all of the work is completed.

From Jutta Mason to Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss, Oct.30 2006

Part of the path still looks like a base coat, with pretty rough asphalt, not very smooth. Are the pavers returning to do a top layer? I can't imagine this would last that long, with all those little holes to trap the water in winter.

Response from Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss to Jutta Mason, Oct.30 2006

I was there today. This is the finish coat. This is how it is done now. They do warrantee their work. I would not be too concerned about the work.

From Jutta Mason to Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss, Oct.30 2006

If you would accept this kind of work for paving your driveway, I would be amazed. I have seen the recent asphalt paving at Trinity Bellwoods, walking around there with Joe Pantalone a week ago, and it is smooth. So I don't understand what you meant when you said "this is how it is done now." Rough asphalt with holes that water can get into, just at Dufferin Grove? Just in Ward 18?

You will recall that the shingles on the park field house roof are already ragged and blowing off, long before one would expect after the last re-roofing, and when I asked about repair I was told there is no money. So it's not such a good idea to accept poor work at the outset. It would be good to ask them to do a smooth coat of asphalt over top, before accepting the work.

Response from Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss to Jutta Mason, Oct.31 2006

I have asked Doug to take a look at this already. He would be able to assess this the best however it looks like most of the paving jobs I have seen recently not just in ward 18 or Dufferin Grove.

From Kevin Beaulieu, assistant to Councillor Adam Giambrone, to Parks supervisor Peter Leiss, Nov.1 2006

Councillor Giambrone and I noticed the uneven and rough paving last weekend. It certainly seemed to be in rough shape, and could even, I think, have been a trip hazard in places. We were advised that the work was incomplete, though, and naturally assumed that with something as standard as paving, the problems would be taken care of before the project was finished.

It sounds like maybe they weren't and the work should be reviewed. I would be happy to meet you onsite with you on Councillor Giambrone's behalf to assess it on Friday morning--say 9 a.m.? I do have some scheduling flexibility through the day, so please let me know if another time is better.

Response from Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss to Kevin Beaulieu, Nov.1 2006

I have reviewed the work with Doug Muir and he has identified a number areas of concern. Doug will be contacting the contractor to perform an inspection and correct any deficiencies. I am available to meet Friday morning 9 am.

From Jutta Mason to Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss, Nov.3 2006

Yesterday two guys came during the market and did a few minutes of kind-of-repair of the already-crumbling seam of one section of the asphalt, near the basketball court. They said they hadn't been told to do anything about the other bits, nor about the market.

Tomorrow the father of one of the rec staff is coming over to have a little diagnostic look. He's going to be visiting from Peterborough, where he owns a paving company that's been ranked "best paving" in Peterborough for the past seven years. (Their main newspaper does the "best of" stuff every year.) So he might be able to explain whether there's nothing to worry about or whether there's a problem -- and if so, how best to fix it. A free outside consultant!

I'll e-mail you with his diagnosis on Monday.

Response from Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss to Jutta Mason, Nov.3 2006

Doug Muir has already identified that this job is not up to expectations. He is currently working with the contractor to have the deficiencies addressed.

From Jutta Mason to Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss, Nov.3 2006

Good. But since the repair effort yesterday was a bit dubious, it will be good to have a second opinion.

Could you let Doug know -- re the scheduling of the work -- that Thursday is farmers' market day?

Response from Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss to Jutta Mason, Nov.3 2006

I will let him know. He is aware of the market.

From Jutta Mason to Parks Supervisor Peter Leiss, Nov.3 2006

Thanks Peter. If Doug could make the contractor aware of the market too, that would be helpful. So far they've hit the bulls-eye, scheduling work on or adjacent to market day in both weeks.

Getting this right is a bit of a pain in the neck, but just to be clear: having that formerly mud-bog section paved is like heaven. There are plenty of compliments directed at the City about this improvement, from park users -- I wish you could hear how appreciative people are.

From Jutta Mason to acting Parks Supervisor Dave Chapman, Nov.4 2006

Peter told me before he left on holiday that the paving contractor plans to return this week and add another layer to the newly-paved path beside Dufferin Rink. I'm glad to hear that.

We asked a contractor of 40 years' experience to come and have a look at it. He was here just now, and he said the job that company did is unacceptable. He pointed out the cold joins, which will shortly break down, the patches, the cracking at the edges (already) and the roughness of the surface. He said that is acceptable as a base coat but it needs another coat on top, without the holes -- smooth.

So the good news is that this will happen (if I understood Peter right).

Please ask the contractor to come on Monday if possible. If at all possible, please do not let them come on market day again (Thursday).

Our contractor friend also said that, given this poor quality of work, it's essential that someone from the city be there to supervise when they are fixing their job. Can you arrange this?

From Parks manager Sandy Straw to acting Parks supervisor Dave Chapman, cc'd to others

Dave pls advise Doug Muir as this is his responsibility. We will both monitor but he must ensure the contractor is doing his job

From acting Parks supervisor Dave Chapman to Jutta Mason, Nov.6 2006

Doug Muir of the Tech Services section also was out on Friday and suggested that the job was not acceptable, and I believe he is arranging for and will oversee the re paving.

From Jutta Mason to acting Parks Supervisor Dave Chapman, Nov.6 2006

Thanks, I'm hoping that you passed on my e-mail to Doug Muir, then.

The two issues are paving in warm weather and not paving on Thursdays. So far all the work has been done on or adjacent to Thursdays. Also, Peter told me on Oct.30 that the job was complete. I'm assuming he got that information from Doug Muir.

Not impressive supervision so far but hopefully Doug Muir will have his hands on this project now.

I would appreciate it if you kept us informed about the plans for this week. Two weeks ago Anna Freeman (the farmers' market manager) was not given enough notice that all the farmers would have to enter the park from the south, and that made things tough for everybody. I have cc'd her on this and also on-site park staff Mayssan Shuja.

Thanks Dave. Once this is all done, it will be a wonderful remedy for our rink problems.

From acting Parks supervisor Dave Chapman to Jutta Mason, Nov.6 2006

Already done thanks.

From Jutta Mason to Parks supervisor Peter Leiss, Nov.12, 2006

As you'll see, the paving at Dufferin Grove didn't get done while you were away, and the wedges that Dave Chapman said were coming (to help cars/trucks get up over the curb) didn't come either, or at least no one has seen them.

The farmers on market day did say that the jump up over the curb to the paved path is tricky for even their small trucks if they take it straight on. So I'm afraid we have a problem here. I gather that lowering the curb (like at all intersections) will be the best thing. Until then, I guess the trucks (and the flying-squad zamboni, when it's needed) will have to use the same route as before, coming in at an angle, partly driving on the sidewalk and then turning back toward the paved path. That means more mud.

Oh well. It's still a darn sight better than before, and will be even better when the path is re-paved.

Could you see if the pavers can come on Tuesday, when it's sunny, so that they don't interfere with market day?

Does the City have to stand there hat in hand, when a paver does a bad job, to persuade a contractor to "please come back and fix it"?

Progress, November 13 2006

The operator of this vehicle was roughing up the path. He said he's going to rough up all of it because the wrong mix was used for the asphalt. He thinks the repaving will be done this afternoon.

Nov.13 --- regrinding the path

From Jutta Mason to Parks supervisor Peter Leiss, Nov.16, 2006

The crew came to put down the final zamboni-path surfacing at 2 pm. today, and finished by the light of their trucks after 6. All of them almost running, they were working so hard, and all of them apologetic too. The surface is as smooth as a baby's____.

A great asphalt day.

Nov.15 -- laying down the final asphalt