The High Rise Hub

One Community, One Vision: Safety, Care, and Nature in The High Rise Hub 

As your next City Councillor for Beaches-East York, my number one priority is making our streets work for the people who live on them. For too long, the vital pocket traditionally known as the Secord-Dawes area has been treated as a traffic shortcut rather than a place to live.

I am launching an ambitious vision to unite, secure, and celebrate this area under its true neighborhood identity: The High Rise Hub . By treating The High Rise Hub  as a hyper-local, intergenerational sanctuary—built around innovative street design, climate-forward sustainability, dignified aging-in-place infrastructure, and a groundbreaking federal charter for the Don River and Lake Ontario —we can build a safer, greener Beaches-East York.

1. The High Rise Hub (Woonerf: People First, Cars Second)

The signature proposal of my campaign is the creation of a unified The High Rise Hub  Woonerf (Shared Street) network.

Originating in the Netherlands, a Woonerf breaks down the traditional, dangerous barriers between sidewalks and roads. It turns asphalt into shared public space using continuous paving, street furniture, and extensive landscaping.

• Complete Speed Mitigation: Vehicle speeds within The High Rise Hub  will be legally and structurally restricted to a walking pace (under 10 km/h). The Dawes Rd (30 km/h).

• True Shared Space: Pedestrians, cyclists, mobility scooters, and children will have absolute, legally protected right-of-way.

• Vibrant Public Hubs: Parking spots and wide lanes will be reclaimed for community gardens, neighborhood seating, and outdoor public spaces.

• Structural Integration: This network will seamlessly stitch the entire The High Rise Hub  neighborhood together, breaking down isolation and creating a beautiful, walkable corridor.

2. Uncompromising Child Safety Around Our Three Neighborhood Schools

The absolute heart of this design is protecting our youngest residents. We have three crucial schools serving the The High Rise Hub  footprint facing daily traffic gridlock and unsafe conditions during drop-off and pick-up hours: Secord Public School, Crescent Town Elementary School, and George Webster Public School.

• School Zone Expansion: The Woonerf safety principles will extend directly to the doorsteps and walking paths of all three neighborhood schools.

• Zero-Tolerance Zones: We will eliminate aggressive cut-through traffic and idling vehicles on local school routes.

• Safe Routes to School: Creating continuous, car-free pathways so children throughout The High Rise Hub  can walk, roll, or bike to class independently and safely.

3. The New Dawes Library: The Heart of The High Rise Hub 

A neighborhood needs a physical anchor, and our brand-new, state-of-the-art Dawes Road Library will serve as the true heart of The High Rise Hub .

• The Neighborhood Living Room: Integrating the library directly into the Woonerf network so it functions as a safe, accessible indoor and outdoor gathering space for families, youth, and seniors.

• Intergenerational Programming: Funding the library to act as the central hub for local arts, digital literacy, and community resources that bridge the gap between our youth and our aging population.

4. The High Rise Hub  Net-Zero Energy & Waste Program

To align our neighborhood with Toronto’s climate goals, I am proposing a localized Net-Zero Energy and Waste Program designed to lower utility bills and eliminate local landfill contributions.

• Community Decarbonization Hub: Launching localized energy audits to assist high-density buildings and homes in transitioning to highly efficient heat pumps and solar arrays, turning The High Rise Hub  into a localized clean energy microgrid.

• Circular Economy Waste Micro-Hubs: Implementing neighborhood-specific compost and organic waste reclamation programs. This includes community "Repair Cafés" to divert electronics, textiles, and household goods directly away from landfills.

• Zero-Waste Public Events: Mandating that all neighborhood programming, street markets, and community festivals adopt a strictly zero-waste framework using reusable food ware systems.

5. The "Made-in-Ontario" Mobile Farmer's Market

Healthy food must be accessible and affordable. I will establish a Mobile Farmer’s Market program that travels directly through the high-density corridors of The High Rise Hub , completely sourced from Ontario farmers.

• Fresh Food on Wheels: Bringing affordable, seasonal Ontario produce directly to the doorsteps of local towers, seniors' buildings, and school drop-off zones.

• Supporting Local Agriculture: Bridging the gap between rural Ontario growers and urban families, keeping grocery dollars inside the province while slashing food transportation emissions.

• Accessible and Dignified Nutrition: Partnering with mobile community food networks to guarantee that all residents—regardless of income—have direct access to fresh, healthy, and culturally relevant foods.

6. Formally Supporting our The High Rise Hub  NORC

The high-density residential buildings in The High Rise Hub  form a thriving Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC). A vast demographic of seniors have chosen to live, age, and stay right here in our community.

• Official Municipal Designation: I will fight for official City of Toronto NORC status for this pocket to unlock targeted provincial and municipal funding.

• On-Site Senior Supports: We will bring healthcare advocates, community programming, and mobile recreational services directly into the residential hubs where seniors live.

• Accessible Infrastructure: The High Rise Hub  Woonerf will feature accessible seating, smooth, curb-less paving for walker and wheelchair stability, and bright lighting so our seniors can safely enjoy the outdoors.

7. A Federal Charter for Don River, and Lake Ontario as Nature Corporations"

The High Rise Hub  neighborhood sits directly alongside many of Toronto's greatest ecological treasures. To ensure their long-term survival against heavy urban density, I am proposing a revolutionary legal and environmental framework: establishing federal, non-profit, nature-based corporations status for Don River, and Lake Ontario as Nature Corporations.

• Federal Non-Profit Charter: We will advocate to establish the river valley, and Lake Ontario as independent, federal non-profit corporations. This grants our stretch of the Don River, and Lake Ontario specialized legal recognition to protect their intrinsic right to exist, flow, and thrive.

• Independent Board of Directors: These Nature Corporations will be governed by a dedicated Board of Directors. This board will be legally mandated to act strictly on behalf of these entities ecological health, ensuring stewardship is free from municipal political shifting or developer interference.

• Active Stewardship & Trail Access: Partnering with community groups to fund localized ravine cleanup, invasive species removal, and natural flood mitigation, while providing The High Rise Hub  residents of all ages with respectful, eco-friendly trail access to experience our local wilderness.

A neighborhood Hub, Safe for children, Seniors, and Families. VOTE4SHABANI