Former mayor David Crombie tells Tory to tear down Gardiner stretch

WATCH ABOVE: A group of former city planners and David Crombie gathered at City Hall to publicly call for the removal of the Gardiner – opposed to Tory’s preferred ‘hybrid’ option. Mark McAllister reports.

TORONTO — Former Toronto mayor David Crombie is in favour of removing the crumbling eastern portion of the Gardiner Expressway, and he’s making his voice heard.

Crombie said he has exchanged notes with Mayor John Tory on the the roadway’s fate.

“Now’s the time to take the Gardiner down,” said Crombie.

Tory has said he is in favour of the hybrid option and City council is set to debate what to do with the aging roadway next week.

Removing the Gardiner to create an eight-lane boulevard is by far the most cost-effective option, at $461 million, compared to $919 million for the hybrid option and $864 million to keep the aging roadway as-is.

A city staff report released in April suggests removing the 1.7-kilometre section of the Gardiner could generate up to $150 million in the sale of unlocked land but would also add three to five minutes of travel time during the rush hour commute.

“I just think he’s wrong on this issue as it stands so far,” said Crombie speaking on Tory’s hybrid stance. “I think it’s tragically wrong because we have such an extraordinary opportunity to create a boulevard, let alone show that we are a part of the 21st century and not simply lagging on the 20th.”

A recent poll found that a large number of Torontonians approve of the plan to tear down the Gardiner Expressway east of Jarvis.

With files from Mark McAllister and David Shum