By Meg Banks, Rob Sykes and Alexandra Tomaszewski

Population: 58,805
Voter turnout in 2006 municipal election: 34 per cent

Nestled between Bayview Avenue on the west and Eglinton Avenue East in the north, and hugging the Don Valley Parkway on the east and southeast, Ward 26 is a small space with a large population. Just 11 square kilometers in size, this ward is home to 60,585 people in 23,390 households.

Encompassing neighborhoods such as Leaside and Bennington Heights, as well as the densely populated districts of Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park, over two-thirds of the area's dwellings are high-rise apartment buildings, and nearly 60 per cent of the ward's dwellings are rented.

The people in this area are as diverse as the neighbourhoods, with just 43 per cent of the ward's residents claiming English as their mother tongue. The largest visible minority in the ward is South Asian, with 28.7 per cent of residents identifying as such, compared to 12 per cent on average for the entire city. Over 63 per cent of immigrants in the area are first generation Canadians.

Key Issues

Overcrowding:Overcrowding has become a problem in the ward, both for housing and schools, especially in the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood. Excessive traffic, slow moving vehicles and congestion are a concern for many residents and business owners. Candidates are promising to improve public transit in this ward.

Services: A recurring election issue, residents are concerned about city services as user fees rise. Because of the density in the area and the high number of people living in apartments, candidates point to a need for community services, social programs and activities for the ward's youth, as well as the maintenance and funding of parks and community centres.

Leaside ice pad:Two years ago the city purchased land to build a new $10 million dollar ice pad to accommodate demands for ice time. Controversy surrounds the project; particularly the issue of who is funding the construction.

Eglinton Crosstown LRT line:Candidates also have to address the concerns over how the future of line will affect bus service. Its path through the ward calls for a prohibition on left hand turns at many major intersections and will slow transit buses between stops.

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