Neighbourhood profile
In Davenport, local streets such (i.e. Hallam St., Lappin Ave. and Paton Rd.) are virtually treeless and unshaded since their built usage was a mix of residential/ industrial. They were widened to accommodate bus lanes which are no longer in use. Houses sit very close to the sidewalk, often with inadequate space for large canopy shade trees. According to City planning reports, the downtown west neighbourhoods have an acknowledged lack of green space and increasing green space is a top priority (GreenHere catchment.pdf). Here in these underprivileged Davenport communities, many people cannot afford to vacation outside of the city, and green spaces are subsequently many people's main experience of nature.
Why Green our neighbourhood?
Did you know
On average, a plant can only be about 100 times as tall as the girth of its stem.
The types of trees planted were also influenced by the flux of residents in the neighbourhood. Over the years reforestation in the neighbourhood has come to a standstill. Many of the area’s mature trees (predominantly Norway and Silver maples) are in critical condition and/or reaching the end of their life spans. Compounding this lack of green space is a high prevalence of current and historical industrial land usage, a landscape dominated by paved or otherwise impermeable surface areas, 3 major railway lines, a hydro corridor and major arterial roads. There are few young native trees being planted in available spaces to create a successional tree canopy, and the need to act is now.
The dearth of large canopy trees and green space in the community, combined with active industry, and high volumes of transport trucks moving goods in and out of the area, results in high rates of vehicle exhaust, and ground-level ozone, emissions. In addition, the criss-crossing of 3 major rail corridors dissecting the target area brings high rates of diesel exhaust to residents, and the recognized deficiency of green space to sequester airborne particulate matter means air quality for residents is systematically compromised.
At the same time, the high prevalence of paved surfaces (small worker houses with little to no front yard, paved industrial sites, and roads widened to accommodate bus and truck turnarounds) leaves these communities more vulnerable to escalating levels of urban heat island, higher summer temperatures due to greater levels of greenhouse gases, higher levels of airbourne particulate matter, commuter traffic along major arterial roads and high levels of transport truck and diesel train traffic.
The most effective way of combating air pollutants and urban heat island effect, community cohesion, and other environmental and health issues are properly planted trees and increased green space; equally important is the stewarding of existing trees for long-lived, productive health through educating, advocating, and encouraging a local, grassroots citizen arborist movement.
Addressing a need with trees
Davenport’s legacy of industrial factories has shaped the history, and landscape of the area. The industries in the area included Gibben paint factory, NRI rubber industries, Alcan Aluminum, Tower automotive, Wagner and Ziedler's Planing Mill, Canadian Wire Mattress Company, Campbell Flour Mills, Dodge Wood Split Pulley Company, Nordheimer Piano Company, the old Eaton's factory (located on Bloor Street), Bell Telephone, and Loblaws head office at Bloor Street and Lansdowne Avenue. The only aviation factory in the country opened a plant covering six acres at 1244 Dufferin Street south of Dupont. In 1902, the Canada Foundry Company (part of General Electric) became one of the major industries in the area. Meat packing plants were also prevalent near the freight facilities in the area.
With the factories came employment and a high immigration of workers from Eastern Europe. With the housing boom, the next group of new Canadians came from the villages and cities of Italy. In the mid 1950’s Portuguese immigrants followed the Italians and by the end of the fifties Italians, Portuguese and Greeks predominated in the area. Over the years the cultural diversity grew in the neighbourhood, including east and west Indian cultures. Today newcomers continue to revitalize the neighbourhood, and long time residents preserve the neighbourhood history making the area diverse and unique.
The Davenport neighbourhood
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•There are underused industrial buildings in the neighbourhood
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•The neighbourhood is one of the city’s most contaminated soil, air, and water tables
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•The area has little usable green space and few private trees
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•Its physical layout is not favorable to building a sense of community
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•Few and /or poorly functioning neighbourhood parks
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•No real recreational walking routes or desirable end destinations for walks
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•Laneways and streets are misused and littered with rubbish
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•Vehicle congestion, safety and traffic-pattern issues due to wider streets
Issues identified by local residents
