Queensgrove Road in Scarborough does not have streetlights, and most residents want to keep it that way.
About $2 million is going into an electrical upgrade in the area, which means streetlights for the neighbourhood.
Although Toronto Hydro says it has a responsibility to install streetlights on every city street for safety reasons, Queensgrove residents’ choice should be respected. After all, they have lived this way for years and there is romance to the darkness.
About 29 small bungalows house longtime residents who enjoy the rural feel of their neighbourhood near Kingston Road and Warden Avenue. People who live there leave their front doors open and know all their neighbours.
According to reports, of the 29 households on Queensgrove Road, 24 do not want streetlights, two want them, while the rest are impartial.
The Distillery District in Old Town Toronto is dim compared to Yonge Street at night. But that’s partly what makes the area so great.
Queensgrove is asking the city to recognize its uniqueness.
Residents are trying to keep what they believe is the character of their area. And Scarborough can use more areas with character its occupants love.
This quaint suburban neighbourhood is not the only one refusing lights. This month, Earl Brazeal, a resident of Woodstock, Connecticut, is also pushing for dark skies in his town for environmental reasons.
The way neighbourhoods look is about how its residents see themselves and what they’re comfortable with. Queensgrove residents want to see the stars at night and the city should let them.