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Crombie joins opposition to big-box mall (in Leslieville)
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| MarkT |
Thank god, because this project sounds terrible for the area.
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/404789
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Crombie joins opposition to big-box mall
Mar 28, 2008 04:30 AM
Paul Moloney
city hall bureau
Former Toronto mayor David Crombie is backing the city's bid to keep a big-box retail development out of the film studio district on Eastern Ave.
At a news conference yesterday, Crombie said he supports the city's call for the provincial government to intervene in the case, set for a 12-week hearing at the Ontario Municipal Board starting May 20.
Crombie said plans to revitalize the waterfront and projects such as dismantling the eastern stump of the Gardiner Expressway, weren't meant to make way for construction of 700,000 square feet of retail space and 2,000 parking spots on a 7.5-hectare site in Leslieville.
"We didn't take down the Gardiner, we didn't do all of that work over the last generation, in order to provide for a suburban-style big box retail," Crombie said. "Its purpose was to create ... a unique place on the waterfront where people can live, work and play.
"That's still the dream," he added. "That's still what Torontonians have been promised, both in terms of provincial policies and in terms of municipal policies, and they deserve no less."
Crombie was joined by prominent architect and urban designer Ken Greenberg, who said the unelected OMB is too dominant. "The sad truth here is that the OMB has become the de facto planning board for Toronto, a role that it was never set up to fulfill," Greenberg said.
Mayor David Miller has written Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Jim Watson, asking Watson to consider declaring a provincial interest in the project. If an interest is declared, which must happen at least 30 days before the May 20 hearing, the OMB doesn't get the last word. The provincial cabinet can endorse its decision, modify or overturn it.
Councillor Paula Fletcher, who fears Eastern Ave. could become a big-box strip between the Don River and Leslie St., said the city is awaiting the province's decision.
Meanwhile, developer Smart Centres says its $200 million project would provide 2,000 retail jobs and yield $4 million a year in property taxes for the city.
Smart Centres won't reveal a potential tenant list, but its centres are often anchored by a Wal-Mart. |
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| The Highroller |
| +1! Keep the big-box out! |
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| MarkT |
I hate them. My parents used to live near Morningside/401 in the east end of Scarborough. There was a theatre built right off 401, and that was fine.
now...it's one of those 'big box strips' with a Wal-Mart and a billion other stores.
it looks *awful* and traffic has become a joke. I know some people think that's a plus for the area...I think it looks like garbage and I'm glad they moved somewhere nicer. |
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| Knox |
big boxes are becoming too much already. there are plans to put a Leons next to the SteamWhistle Brewery in the near future so that all the condo dwellers will have a big box store close to them.
from a business prospective, this would be great for the Leon's...
but from the perspective of someone living down near the waterfront, if they start bringing in big box stores is just adding even more commericalization to the area.
Downtown living....we have the King Street furniture stores.... this will hurt the local business too much.
that is my two sense... |
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| TO guy |
| quote: | Originally posted by Knox
Downtown living....we have the King Street furniture stores.... this will hurt the local business too much.
that is my two sense... |
+1. But its not just this area, every local area gets hurt by these things. |
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| Jayx1 |
Toronto is becoming a vertical suburb as ive been saying. The next step will be people realizing that they can get the same lifestyle that they have downtown for less hassle, less traffic, easy parking, lower cost, more space, and less homeless harrassment by buying in milton for example. All incentive for living downtown is vanishing. Nightlife is hurting, boutique stores are closing and being replaced by stores that traditionally were found in malls, and cultural events are becoming too overpriced for the common person. Just look at how Queen West is being destroyed.
Soon the flight to the suburbs will happen resulting in a ghettoization of downtown and urban sprawl in the GTA that most of us cant even fathom.
People may say im nuts as the condo boom has no end in sight but todays condos are tomorrows projects. Just look at the condos built in places like scarborough in the 60s and 70s
Toronto is becoming a victim of its own greed |
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| MarkT |
I strongly disagree that all incentive is vanishing for living downtown. Quite the contrary is true, *especially* with all of the condos being built.
I walk to work, while most of my friends can take TTC and be at their office within 30 minutes.
I walk everywhere and rarely use TTC. I walk to my friends' places, the grocery store is attached to my building, St. Lawrence market is a 10-15 min. walk away, I walk or take a 5 min. cab ride to any bar/club/theatre/restaurant/whatever. I don't own a car and use Zipcar whenever I need one for a few hours.
With rising property taxes and increasing gas prices, I think there's more incentive than ever to move downtown. the property taxes for my loft are less than half of what they'd be for an equivalently priced house in the burbs...heating costs are probably one quarter. I enjoy not shovelling snow, cutting the grass, or worrying about whether or not I'll need a new roof, furnace, etc. I don't have to leave the buildign to workout (very well equipped gym, half b-ball court and lap pool). No one home to receive that package? 24 hour conceirge. Several gas BBQs on a MASSIVE roof top with huge party room and a breathtaking view of the downtown core and skyline = who needs a backyard?
the perks are endless and I don't miss living in a house *at all*.
If you want that "house with a yard" lifestyle, then by all means go live in a place like Milton, lol.
"empty nesters" enjoy shedding the responsibilities that a house requires too. who do you think can afford the larger units being built? older, established couples/families.
you can say that nightlife is hurting, but it's still light years ahead of anything you'll find in the burbs! ditto for theatre, sporting events, restaurants, etc.
Does Milton have a club district? fine dining across the city? sporting events with a team in every pro sport? museaums and theatre? how about events like the Jazz Fest, Caribana, Pride, Nuit Blanche, random art exhibits in parks, a world renowned film festival.
come on...there's plenty of incentive to live downtown. It all depends on priorities. I'd be perfectly content in raising a family downtown too (hell, it strikes me as being safer than some suburbs!) |
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| MarkT |
oops...double post!
this isn't meant as a downtown vs. the burbs thing...just that what 'works' in the burbs doesn't work downtown. there is NO reason to have 2000+ parking spot big box strip mall thing in Leslieville, lol.
I can't believe that proposal is even on the table... |
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