Forum Research & Lorne Bozinoff Connection to TTC Revealed

Excerpt from "The Villager April 29, 2009
by Lisa Rainford

After a professional connection came to light between Bozinoff's market research business, Forum Research, and the TTC of which Saundercook is commissioner, the councillor sought advice from the integrity commissioner, who said the information only became known after the entire process had been approved.

Baby Point residents wondered if Saundercook's decision to support the project had anything to do with Forum Research's work for the TTC.

However, Saundercook said he hadn't heard of the connection until April 23. "Had I been aware prior to the application, I would have had to explain, but this was clearly not the case," said Saundercook.

For the complete article in MS Word "click" the Title or
see first letter page above right.

April 23, 2010; Inside Toronto Article - OK to Demolish 66 Baby Point Road

LISA RAINFORD
• Apr 23, 2010 - 4:48 PM
• Inside Toronto article

For complete article go to the first "Page" posted opposite or to this link:

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/805069--homeowner-allowed-to-demolish-baby-point-home

Homeowner allowed to demolish Baby Point home.

More than 150 people - 90 per cent of the neighbourhood - have registered their opposition against the project, saying its mass and density is greater than twice as large as the homes around it. The adjacent homes average 2,700 square feet. The Bozinoffs house would be two and a half times larger than the average, said neighbour Robert Galway, who has lived in the area for 40 years.

"I don't understand council's decision when you have a fact like that staring you in the face," he said.

Mary Anne De Monte-Whelan, a Baby Point resident for the past two decades, said most homes in the area have been restored to some extent or another.

"Are we against improving homes? No, lots of us have done it, but there is a certain way of respecting the neighbourhood when you do it," she said. "I've lived in two Robert Home Smith homes and they were extremely architecturally strong homes. It can be done if there's a desire. There are many, many places you can go if you want a monstrous home. This isn't one of those places, they're not in Baby Point."

The optimal approach to this project would be to restore the present property to its former glory, said Galway, while retaining its architectural authenticity and the integrity of the streetscape.

"The architectural foresight of Robert Home Smith, the developer of the Baby Point area, was ahead of his time

His principles of property layout are deserving of respect and should not give way to architectural largesse as is the case associated with this application.

Even though the majority of the neighbourhood opposes the project, dubbed a "McMansion," Saundercook said the "chances at the Ontario Municipal Board were not very favourable to the opposition."

Saundercook said he wanted to work with the owner/applicant and not against him.

Asked how he is dealing with his neighbour's disapproval of his proposed new home, Bozinoff said, "We're mulling over the comments."

TTC and Forum Research

To view the Word Document with active links click on the above Title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Certain public facts related to the 66 Baby Point Road story have come to the attention of the Concerned Baby Point Residents group. We would appreciate the thoughts of the community on these facts."

Specifically, the owner of 66 Baby Point Rd (Lorne Bozinoff) is owner of Forum Research, a Toronto market research Company with a long-standing relationship with the TTC, for which Bill Saundercook serves as Commissioner. Some residents are concerned that this relationship was not declared.

The facts:

1. Forum Research has a long standing commercial relationship of at least ten years with the TTC. They conducted targeted research projects in 2001 and 2002. Item: TTC Budget $198,320
www3.ttc.ca/search/results.jsp
Enter "Forum Research" in the search box!

2. Described in 2005 as the Commission’s Marketing and Public Affairs Department’s contractor for Targeted Research Studies.
http://www.ttc.ca/postings/gso-comrpt/documents/report/f2418/_conv.htm
Scroll down to the Market Research Report Section

3. Forum Research continued in 2008 to be associated with the TTC as the Commission’s Marketing and Public Affairs Department’s contractor.
This is confirmed by this blog account posted February 10th, 2008.
http://www.nakedknitgirl.ca/

4. Forum Research continues to be associated with the TTC as indicated in the Forum Research Web site posting April 19, 2010. (Under Public Sector)
http//www.forumresearch.com/experienc.asp
Look under Kudos: "Experience" & scroll down to Public Sector.

5. Councillor William Saundercook has been a TTC Commissioner since 2005, and presently is in the running to be the next Chairman.
http://http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/ttc/article/764353---the-ttc-is-a-real-mess

Summary:

It is a matter of public record that the market research firm "Forum Research" has a decade long relationship with the Toronto Transit Commission acting in their words; "as the Commission’s Marketing and Public Affairs Department’s contractor for Targeted Research Studies.

TTC and Forum Research

Certain public facts related to the 66 Baby Point Road story have come to the attention of the Concerned Baby Point Residents group. We would appreciate the thoughts of the community on these facts.

Specifically, the owner of 66 Baby Point Rd (Lorne Bozinoff) is owner of Forum Research, a Toronto market research Company with a long-standing relationship with the TTC, for which Bill Saundercook serves as Commissioner.

Some residents are concerned that this relationship was not declared.

The facts:

1. Forum Research has a long standing commercial relationship of at least ten years with the TTC. They conducted targeted research projects in 2001 and 2002. Item: TTC Budget - $198,320 (http://www3.ttc.ca/Search/results.jsp

2. Described in 2005 as the Commission’s Marketing and Public Affairs Department’s contractor for Targeted Research Studies.http://www.ttc.ca/postings/gso-comrpt/documents/report/f2418/_conv.htm

3. Forum Research continued in 2008 to be associated with the TTC as the Commission’s Marketing and Public Affairs Department’s contractor. This is confirmed by this blog account posted February 10th, 2008.http://www.nakedknitgirl.ca/?p=3677#comment

4. Forum Research continues to be associated with the TTC as indicated in the Forum Research Web site posting April 19, 2010. (Under Public Sector)

">htpp://www.forumresearch.com

">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5297362/Baby%20Point%20Mtg.exe

5. Councillor William Saundercook has been a TTC Commissioner since 2005, and presently is in the running to be the next Chairman.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/ttc/article/764353---the-ttc-is-a-real-mess

Summary:

It is a matter of public record that the market research firm "Forum Research" has a decade long relationship with the Toronto Transit Commission acting in their words; "as the Commission’s Marketing and Public Affairs Department’s contractor for Targeted Research Studies."

>http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5297362/Baby%20Point%20Mtg.exe

Panorama View of Baby Point Rd #70 to #60

click to enlarge image

This is a panoramic view of 60 Baby Point Rd through 70 Baby Point Road taken as a consecutive sequence of 15 pictures which have been converted into one panoramic image using proprietary software from UBC - "Autostitch"

The Architectural sketch of the planned 66 baby Point Road was inserted using the actual frontal dimensions of 64 Baby Pt and 68 Baby Point (53.25 ft and 53.5 ft respectively)as control dimensions. The planned frontal dimesion of 66 Baby Point Rd. is 60 ft.

Another MegaMansion in Ward 13 High Park-Parkdale

click to enlarge - Photo Panorama by Autostitch

This is another new non conforming "Megahome" being parachuted into a Ward 13 Community in the vicinity of Grenadier Pond on Dacre Crescent. Lotline to Lotline again !

Can this happen again in Baby Point ?.... I would not bet against it !

Letter to Councillor Saundercook & L. Bozinoff - 15/4/2010

For before and after composite Montage see previous blog

April 15, 2010

Circulation: To the Residents of the Greater Baby Point Circle Area

Dear Councillor Saundercook and Mr. Lorne Bozinoff;

In reference to : EY35.4 Site Plan Application – Final Report and Site Plan Approval
(to permit the construction of a new detached dwelling for the lands at 66 Baby Point Road)

I have received the letter of April 7, 2010 from the City of Toronto in reference to 66 Baby Point Road

Let me say at the outset that more than 100 residents of the greater Baby Point Circle community, many who met with you and your client Mr. Bozinoff on the evening of March 25th, 2010 at the Baby Point Club, remain seriously distressed by the sequence of events that led to final approval of this project. This culminated in the defeat of the motion to defer this matter at City of Toronto Council on March 31st.

None of the concerns brought to your desk, or to the attention of Mr. Lorne Bozinoff, have been addressed in a significant or constructive manner. In fact, stated bluntly, the legitimate concerns of a majority of this established and historic residential community have been trivialized and marginalized.

That being said, I wish to recapitulate the three undertakings made by yourself at that meeting.

 To provide an overview of the Property Tax implications of this development

 To move for deferral of the upcoming motion to approve EY35.4 Site Plan Application.

 To provide the community at the earliest opportunity with an accurately scaled sketch of the frontal and east elevations of the proposed property.

The first item regarding Property Taxes has been addressed as previously confirmed.1

The inexplicable defeat of the motion in item #2 is a barrier to closure of this matter.

The final undertaking remains outstanding, although note has been taken of your remarks made to City Council March 31, 2010.

To quote; “’m convinced it is a true rendering of what the applicant intends to do”

As a consequence, a further analysis of the rendering of the impact on the streetscape of the frontal elevation of the proposed home for 66 Baby Point Road was undertaken.

Observations:
The sketch presented by Mr. Lorne Bozinoff to the community, and presented by yourself to Council,2 is not associated with any published metrics or any declaration that it is to scale.

When recompiled using the metrics of the adjacent homes including the horizontal dimensions of the buildings a more accurate estimation of the scale of the architectural drawing of the proposed home in proportion to the existing properties can be made. (eg #64 Baby Pt frontage 54 ft 3 in.)

 The horizontal dimension of the proposed home at 66 Baby Point Road is significantly under represented.
 The vertical dimension of the proposed home at 66 Baby Point Road is also significantly under represented.
 The magnitude of this under representation is in the range of 10-13 percent.

The effect of this misrepresentation is substantial as is illustrated below:

The east aperture between #64 Baby Point and #66 Baby Point is represented as being over eight feet (8 ft.) than will be the case when the property is built to the side set back parameters of 1.5 m on the west and 1.2 m on the east.

The roof height will be 4-1/2 feet higher than represented in the ”Bozinoff” sketch.

Recall that this proposed development is between 5,900 sq ft to 6,500 sq ft ., dependent on whether the attached garage is included. Suffice it to say that in either case the proposed home is more than twice (2x) the size of the average of the next ten adjacent homes in that immediate area. (2,724 sq. ft) (MPAC)

Regardless of whether or not these incorrect representations were deliberate or presented by mischance, the fact remains that this was a serious misrepresentation of the situation at hand.

Moreover, it is my considered opinion that there was no justification for any party presenting this material as an accurate representation of the visual impact that this mega home will have on the street scape of Baby Point Road in the vicinity of “The Circle”

To do so strains credulity.

In closing, Mr. Bozinoff and Mr. Saundercook , as per your committed action step to the Baby Point residents three weeks ago on March 25, the community asks once more to be provided on an expedited basis, accurate drawings and all relevant measurements of the 66 Baby Point Road plans.

Sincerely,
Dr. Robert Galway
66 Baby Point Road
On behalf of Concerned Baby Point Residents

Bozinoff Sketches in Error ?

By now most residents are aware that the City of Toronto has forwarded to EYC the enabling certification permitting the Chief Planner to issue a building permit to the Bozinoff's for the construction of their planned property on the lot at 66 Baby Point Road.

At the same time, I am aware from feedback in the Baby Point Community at large that many of us are concerned about several aspects of this application that remain an open issue. These concerns include process and the less than transparent reasons that the motion to defer this matter was defeated at City of Toronto Council meeting on March 31, 2010.

In addition, the material presented by both the Applicant and the Councillor to the community and to Council does not withstand close scrutiny. In this instance, I am referring to the sketch or rendering presented by Mr. Bozinoff apparently demonstrating minimal visual impact on the streetscape in the vicinity of 66 Baby Point Road.

This sketch was also displayed to both councils by Mr. Saundercook during his presentations to his fellow councillors. In fact, he opined that this was an accurate reflection of the impact of this home on the streetscape.

The two photographs demonstrate otherwise, The first is the original sketch which has no scale associated with it. The second is scaled to the actual dimensions of the adjacent properties. (#64 is 53 ft 4 in. wide) You can note the change in distance between that home and the target property on the two sketches. (viz annotated photo montage)

The above letter to the Councillor and the Applicant addresses these continuing concerns.

www.babypointatrisk.blogspot.com

Final Approval for 66 Baby Point Road McMansion Site Plan

Click image  to enlarge

http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13107733

http://www.newsweek.com/id/61935

http://www.forumresearch.com/experience.asp

http://www.nakedknitgirl.ca/ scroll up to top

http://www.ttc.ca/postings/gso-comrpt/documents/report/f2418/_conv.htm

http://http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/ttc/article/764353---the-ttc-is-a-real-mess

www3.ttc.ca/search/results.jsp
Enter "Forum Research" in the search box!

Motion for Deferral was defeated last night March 31, 2010

The Motion for a Deferral on this matter was defeated Wednesday evening March 31, 2010

when presented by Ward 13 Councillor.

The EYC "Put it in his Pocket" Motion of March 9th, 2010

now enables Mr. Lorne Bozinoff to proceed

to Demolish 66 Baby Point Road

and proceed with the construction of a 6,500 sq, foot home on the site.

when the average area of adjacent homes is 2724 Sq. feet

This is a rendering of what the streetscape view to the west may well look like.