A city councillor is now calling on staff to look at the problem of new hydro poles taking away space from pedestrians on already narrow sidewalks in the west end, after a CBC story shed light on the issue last week.

Coun. Joe Mihevc, who represents Ward 21, St. Paul's West, requested a review of the allowances granted to Toronto Hydro's projects Wednesday, flagging multiple structures that reduce sidewalk accessibility.

The CBC Toronto story, published April 3, highlighted pedestrians' complaints about lack of space on sidewalks amid hydro construction. The problem, some pedestrians said, was even more acute for people with disabilities.

In a letter to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, Mihevc identified a new hydro pole on Davenport Road and a fire hydrant at St. Clair Avenue West and Bathurst Street. Both structures fail to meet pedestrian guidelines, which require 1.5 metres of sidewalk clearance.

'The earlier the conversation, the easier it is to consider sidewalk widening and other right-of-way strategies,' says Coun. Joe Mihevc in a letter to the city.

"Moving forward, the City should better coordinate early on with utility upgrade planning and regard the work as an opportunity to carry out street design changes that meet current pedestrian guidelines," Mihevc wrote.

He recommended the city's general manager of Transportation Services report on policy improvements regarding sidewalk zones. He also requested a list of structures that won't meet the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act when infrastructure project permits are being reviewed.

Mihevc used a new fire hydrant at St. Clair Avenue West and Bathurst Street as another example of a hydro project's failure to meet city guidelines.

In the letter, he quoted the Complete Streets Guidelines, which specifies the city's regulations: "The location, use, and maintenance of utilities needs to be coordinated early on in street projects."

Requests considered by committee

Mihevc's suggestions were reviewed by the committee Wednesday, but no decision was made.

Instead the item was referred to an "official or other body."

When CBC Toronto asked the city to weigh in for the story regarding the issue, city staff said in older parts of Toronto, where there may not be enough room, sidewalks with hydro poles are exempt from the rule.