This greenspace was once the pride of Parkdale. Now residents say it's a 'wasteland' for coffee cups | CBC News

"An underpass revitalization project that was meant to pay tribute to the people of Parkdale has instead deteriorated into a garbage dump, according to nearby residents. The Parkdale Residents Association says the city hasn't done enough to clear up and maintain the site a grassy strip of land that runs along Lansdowne Avenue south of Dundas Street. "It's a wasteland for Tim Hortons coffee cups," said PRA chair Ric Amis. "It's just a garbage dump.""

"This plaque, installed in 1993, dedicates the underpass upgrades to the community of Parkdale. Since that dedication, residents say, the strip of grassland that overlooks Lansdowne has been badly neglected. (Mike Smee/CBC) At that time, concrete planters were put in place, locust trees were planted in a neat row, new decorative lamps were installed the city even built a staircase, giving people a way down to street level from the top of the underpass. Then, apparently, the narrow parcel of land was forgotten, Amis says."

"These days, the planters have become "garbage cans," he said. Nowadays, the grass is thigh height and the locust branches hang untrimmed. Trash old signs, bags of dog feces, bottles and bike tires litter the grassy boulevard. Residents point out signs of neglect, like this broken set of decorative lamps that once lit the way up a new staircase. (Mike Smee/CBC)"

A narrow grassy parcel along Lansdowne Avenue in Parkdale, approximately a block long and two metres wide, has fallen into visible neglect. City-funded upgrades in 1993 installed concrete planters, planted locust trees, added decorative lamps and built a staircase, and a plaque dedicated the improvements to the community. Over time the planters filled with trash, grass grew thigh-high, locust branches remained untrimmed, and broken lamps and litter including signs, bags of dog feces, bottles and bike tires accumulated. The Parkdale Residents Association reports repeated 311 requests and asserts that municipal cleanup and ongoing maintenance have been inadequate.

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