Toronto city council approved a plan to build over the cement-covered public square at the corner of Yonge and Eglinton Thursday afternoon, sealing the fate of an area described as windswept and desolate despite a public outcry from local residents.
The council voted 34-7 in favour of a plan by property owner RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, and endorse by city staff, to transform the empty square into a three-storey commercial property that will include a rooftop garden to be accessible by the public.
The development will reduce the current 2,000 square metres of street-level public space down to about 800 square metres running mostly along Yonge Street.
The proposed building would include a public promenade on the roof, accessible at no charge to the public. Critics decried the rooftop promenade as essentially useless to the public, as it is cut off from the street and hard to find unless one is searching for it.
“This proposal is not proposing to increase the open spaces. It is proposing to eliminate it, or significantly reduce this public space,” said councillor Michael Walker (St. Paul’s). “I don’t think that is a good vision to build for the future.”
Earlier this week, more than 100 local residents rallied at the square in an attempt to save what they described as a much-used and beloved public gathering place. A group of vocal supporters were admonished for applauding and vocalizing their disapproval during Thursday’s debate.
“Residents feel like we just lost our last opportunity to have a real beautiful square, like any major city in Canada,” said Josh Matlow, the area’s school board trustee, who is running for council against Mr. Walker.
Local councillor Karen Stintz (Eglinton-Lawrence) championed the change, stating that the square was underused by locals and would be better put to use commercially.
“This area was one of 25 centres designated by the province as growth areas for employment, for commerce, for business, for residents and for students,” she said. “This is one of the centres where we want to find out city’s dreams and aspirations realized.”
Jordan Robins, senior vice-president of development for RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, the property owners, said they agreed to include a public space to appease the local community. But he said he didn’t feel the recent public uprising was representative of true interest in the departing square.
“I think the extent of the backlash is overstated. We get an inordinate amount of phone calls and emails in support of what we are doing,” he said. “I think there is a group of constituents who felt that they didn’t get everything that they wanted.”
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