Latest news with #SafeParkside
Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Toronto Sun
Frequently vandalized Parkside Drive speed camera re-installed Monday
The frequently vandalized speed camera on Parkside Drive was reinstalled on Aug. 11 after most recently coming down on July 9. Photo by Safe Parkside The much vandalized Parkside Drive speed camera was reinstalled Monday after most recently coming down on July 9. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The citizen's group, Safe Parkside, complained about the length of time it had taken to replace the device, but the city said in an email to the Toronto Sun on Monday that the vendors had 30 business days to re-install the camera that has been vandalized six times in the last eight months. Monday marked the 24th business day. Toronto Police Chief-Supt. Kelly Skinner told reporters on Monday that the vandalization of speed cameras were 'happening across the city.' 'We have 16 different uniformed police divisions. The one division has taken on that lead to see if they can find any type of link between the incidents. So we are investigating thoroughly, of course,' said Skinner. 'We know that speed and the death that comes with it, is 100% preventable.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Parkside speed camera was installed after a speeding motorist killed an elderly couple in a horrific five-car crash in October 2021. Recommended video According to Safe Parkside, which cited City of Toronto statistics, 'since its (2022) installation, the Parkside speed camera has become Toronto's busiest issuing a whopping 68,592 speeding tickets and generating $7.3 million in estimated fines, including a ticket to a motorist travelling 154 km/h or nearly 4 times the posted speed limit of 40 km/hr.' The group noted that an accident that happened on Sunday is an example of dangerous driving on the roadway. Safe Parkside said yet another accident happened on Sunday, Aug. 10, on Parkside Drive involving four cars. Photo by Safe Parkside 'Witnesses describe a northbound motorist driving at a high rate of speed and crashing into a stopped car, resulting in a chain reaction crash involving four cars on Parkside Dr. — between Wright Ave. and High Park Blvd. — around 6 p.m., shutting down the northbound lane and reducing the southbound lanes to one,' said Safe Parkside in a statement. Columnists Toronto & GTA Celebrity Canada Celebrity
CTV News
a day ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Toronto's Parkside Drive speed camera resurrected after being chopped down 6 times
Toronto's busiest automated speed cameras appears to be back up and running after it was chopped down for the sixth time. In an email Monday morning, the advocacy group Safe Parkside captured images of crews erecting the camera on a street that runs parallel to High Park and serves as a gateway to Lake Shore Boulevard and the Gardiner Expressway. The device has issued more than 68,500 speeding tickets and generated more than $7.3 million in traffic fines for the city, according to Safe Parkside, since it was installed in 2022. It was introduced in 2021, after a driver travelling at more than double the speed limit (then 50 km/h before it was reduced to 40 km/h) rear-ended a vehicle that was stopped in traffic and killed its two elderly occupants. The camera was cut down the first time on Nov. 18 and reinstalled on Nov. 29—only to be cut down a second time less than 24 hours later. It was felled again on Dec. 29 and dragged into High Park, where it was tossed in a lake. In the latest act of vandalism, the camera was dismantled on July 9, despite the addition of a new police surveillance camera. It's unclear if any suspects have been identified in connection with the July 9 incident. Police tell CTV News Toronto the investigation is ongoing. According to Safe Parkside, the City of Toronto's contract with Verra Mobility, which operates the cameras, requires any damaged or vandalized device to be repaired or replaced within 30 days. However, they said in this and the previous instances of vandalism, that requirement is not being met. 'Is reinstallation of the Parkside Drive speed camera being delayed in order to reduce the amount of times it can be vandalized? After all, you can't vandalize something that isn't there,' the group questioned.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Toronto's Parkside Drive speed camera resurrected after being chopped down 6 times
Toronto's busiest automated speed cameras appears to be back up and running after it was chopped down for the sixth time. In an email Monday morning, the advocacy group Safe Parkside captured images of crews erecting the camera on a street that runs parallel to High Park and serves as a gateway to Lake Shore Boulevard and the Gardiner Expressway. The device has issued more than 68,500 speeding tickets and generated more than $7.3 million in traffic fines for the city, according to Safe Parkside, since it was installed in 2022. It was introduced in 2021, after a driver travelling at more than double the speed limit (then 50 km/h before it was reduced to 40 km/h) rear-ended a vehicle that was stopped in traffic and killed its two elderly occupants. The camera was cut down the first time on Nov. 18 and reinstalled on Nov. 29—only to be cut down a second time less than 24 hours later. It was felled again on Dec. 29 and dragged into High Park, where it was tossed in a lake. In the latest act of vandalism, the camera was dismantled on July 9, despite the addition of a new police surveillance camera. It's unclear if any suspects have been identified in connection with the July 9 incident. Police tell CTV News Toronto the investigation is ongoing. According to Safe Parkside, the City of Toronto's contract with Verra Mobility, which operates the cameras, requires any damaged or vandalized device to be repaired or replaced within 30 days. However, they said in this and the previous instances of vandalism, that requirement is not being met. 'Is reinstallation of the Parkside Drive speed camera being delayed in order to reduce the amount of times it can be vandalized? After all, you can't vandalize something that isn't there,' the group questioned.
CBC
09-07-2025
- CBC
Parkside Drive speed camera cut down for 6th time in 8 months, despite new security camera
The Parkside Drive speed camera has been vandalized for the sixth time in eight months, one week after a security camera was installed next to it. The speed camera was cut down for the first time in November last year after the city approved a complete street redesign of Parkside Drive. The damaged speed camera was just re-installed about a week ago after it was cut down yet again last month. In a statement Wednesday, Faraz Gholizadeh, co-chair of the community group Safe Parkside, called it a case of déjà vu. "A speed camera that has recently spent more time on its side or in a pond than it has upright and functioning has clearly fallen well short of addressing the dangerous speeding on Parkside Drive," Gholizadeh said. He said that Parkside Drive speed camera is not only the most vandalised camera but also the busiest speed camera in the city. It has issued over 68,000 speeding tickets and generated over $7 million in fines to date, according to Safe Parkside. The speed camera was installed in 2022 after a speeding motorist killed an elderly couple in a five-vehicle crash. "The lack of meaningful safety measures remains a big concern on Parkside Drive," Gholizadeh said. "Parkside continues to experience very high numbers of speeding and reckless/careless driving." City spokesperson Laura McQuillan said in an email that the city "is working with its vendor and TPS [Toronto Police Service] on solutions to prevent future incidents of vandalism." A spokesperson for Toronto police said Wednesday that an investigation had not been opened yet.
Toronto Sun
09-07-2025
- Toronto Sun
Toronto's busiest speed camera cut down for 6th time in 8 months
Theft came week after police installed camera of their own to monitor frequently vandalized equipment The pole along Parkside Dr. where a city speed enforcement camera used to be mounted before it was stolen for the sixth time in eight months. Photo by Courtesy Safe Parkside Installed after a horrific 2021 fatal crash, a busy west-end speed camera has once again been stolen from its perch — to the frustration of those who hoped it would make their neigbourhood safer. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account For the sixth time in eight months, a speed enforcement camera on Parkside Dr. was cut down and stolen overnight, despite the installation of a second camera meant to deter further vandalism. Safe Parkside co-chair Faraz Gholizadeh told the Toronto Sun he's beyond frustrated. 'The camera was put there for safety purposes,' he said. 'Parkside is a 2-km street and this camera is at the end of Parkside … but there's still lots of speeding on the street — they just slow down when they reach the camera.' Read More The camera was installed in reaction to a deadly October 2021 five-car crash that claimed the lives of Valdemar Avila, 71, and his wife Fatima, 69, after being rear-ended by a vehicle driven by Artur Kotula, 38, of Burlington — who's serving a 6 1/2-year prison term. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Indeed, the Parkside camera quickly became the busiest automated speed enforcement device in the city — to date issuing nearly 69,000 tickets and generating over $7.3 million in fines. 'The frustration isn't so much with the vandal, it's with the City of Toronto for not doing more, for failing to address speeding on Parkside and letting speeding continue the way it has,' Gholizadeh said. He said drag marks were found leading to a gate with the lock cut off, clearly where the culprit loaded the camera into a vehicle before departing. As the camera's theft is a criminal matter, a city spokesperson declined to comment and referred the Toronto Sun to police. Toronto Police said a report has yet to be filed on the incident and directed comment back to the city. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When pressed, the city spokesperson said they are working with the camera vendor and police on solutions. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Automated cameras operated by the city are not owned by the city and the vendor is contractually obligated to replace the camera within 30 days at no cost to taxpayers. Vandalism of the Parkside camera has become such a large problem that police installed a camera of their own late last month to ostensibly deter future vandals. The Parkside camera has had a troubled history since its installation. The camera was first toppled on Nov. 18, 2024, just three days after city council approved a complete redesign of Parkside. Reinstalled about a week later, the camera didn't last 24 hours before it was again cut down. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Parkside Dr. speed camera was cut down, dragged and dumped into a pond in High Park in December 2024. Photo by Handout / Safe Parkside Less than a month later on Dec. 29, the camera was again cut down and dragged 200 m through High Park, where it was found in a frozen pond. On March 23, the camera was cut down for a fourth time, despite being reinstalled on a thicker pole. That camera lasted until April 19, when it was vandalized for a fifth time. Gholizadeh said the time has come for the city to redesign Parkside, which despite the camera he said has become little more than a ruler-straight 2-km race track. 'People just feel comfortable driving fast on it … it's like an urban highway,' he said. 'The city contends that it's a community safety zone and yet it doesn't meet any of their own minimum safety requirements for an arterial road. 'Only in Toronto would they do something like that and that's where the frustration lies — they've done nothing other than the speed camera and speeding still continues. The numbers speak for themselves.' bpassifiume@ X: @bryanpassifiume Olympics Basketball Canada Uncategorized Toronto & GTA
