Billboard Battle
One of the Toronto Public Space Campaigns I'm leading is taking off.
We had a big article in the Toronto Star GTA section today - http://tinyurl.com/7h2kx
You may need to log in to the Star site - it's free)
and we were the poll question yesterday - http://tinyurl.com/a629j
and 94% were on our side...
... and in the breaking news section: http://tinyurl.com/94dso
What it's all about:
HUGE VIDEO SCREEN ON THE GARDNER
Cineplex Odeon wants to install a 50 ft high, 800 square foot HDTV video display to show movie clips to cars on both sides of the Gardner.
Their own plans demonstrate that the display would become visible from the on-ramp when vehicles are about 3/4 of the way through the ramp and about to merge with traffic - a time when perhaps drivers should be paying attention to the road?
City staff have strongly recommended that this application be refused, as has the CAA. But Etobicoke York community council voted unanimously for it. But our work paid off, because last City Council meeting refused to ratify their decision. It's being voted on this week.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Send a quick email to the mayor and your city councillor telling them what you think of the plan. The most powerful words in your repetoire? "I live in your riding."
- mayor_miller@toronto.ca
- Find your Councilor's email at:
http://app.toronto.ca/im/council/councillors.jsp
Read the full staff report:
http://tinyurl.com/7dg2g
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
I'm the Variance Vexation Vixen...(I'm also head of the Monster Bin Battalion and a member in good standing of the Downtown De-fence Project.)
What's a variance?
You wouldn't know it, but Toronto has very strict rules about outdoor advertising. Guidelines restrict the size, location and brightness of ads. Certain kinds of ads are completely prohibited, such as video billboards.
Unfortunately, every month, advertising companies are permitted to request "variances" from the bylaw at Community Council meetings.
The variance applications are generally not discussed or debated. In most cases, they are simply rubber stamped. No public notification is required, no matter how big or bright the sign is. The meetings' agendas are usually posted on the web only about a week in advance.
However, we've found that even a small amount of pressure is often enough to make councillors reconsider.
Join the billboard battalion by mailing alison AT publicspace.ca
We had a big article in the Toronto Star GTA section today - http://tinyurl.com/7h2kx
You may need to log in to the Star site - it's free)
and we were the poll question yesterday - http://tinyurl.com/a629j
and 94% were on our side...
... and in the breaking news section: http://tinyurl.com/94dso
What it's all about:
HUGE VIDEO SCREEN ON THE GARDNER
Cineplex Odeon wants to install a 50 ft high, 800 square foot HDTV video display to show movie clips to cars on both sides of the Gardner.
Their own plans demonstrate that the display would become visible from the on-ramp when vehicles are about 3/4 of the way through the ramp and about to merge with traffic - a time when perhaps drivers should be paying attention to the road?
City staff have strongly recommended that this application be refused, as has the CAA. But Etobicoke York community council voted unanimously for it. But our work paid off, because last City Council meeting refused to ratify their decision. It's being voted on this week.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Send a quick email to the mayor and your city councillor telling them what you think of the plan. The most powerful words in your repetoire? "I live in your riding."
- mayor_miller@toronto.ca
- Find your Councilor's email at:
http://app.toronto.ca/im/council/councillors.jsp
Read the full staff report:
http://tinyurl.com/7dg2g
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
I'm the Variance Vexation Vixen...(I'm also head of the Monster Bin Battalion and a member in good standing of the Downtown De-fence Project.)
What's a variance?
You wouldn't know it, but Toronto has very strict rules about outdoor advertising. Guidelines restrict the size, location and brightness of ads. Certain kinds of ads are completely prohibited, such as video billboards.
Unfortunately, every month, advertising companies are permitted to request "variances" from the bylaw at Community Council meetings.
The variance applications are generally not discussed or debated. In most cases, they are simply rubber stamped. No public notification is required, no matter how big or bright the sign is. The meetings' agendas are usually posted on the web only about a week in advance.
However, we've found that even a small amount of pressure is often enough to make councillors reconsider.
Join the billboard battalion by mailing alison AT publicspace.ca