The Ontario government will make some changes to Toronto’s plan for midtown to allow for taller buildings with a specific reference to the corner of Bayview Ave. and Eglinton Ave. E. Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark told the Globe and Mail he’ll be sending changes to the City Wednesday They’ll include allowing high rise towers of 20 to 35 storeys at Bayview and Eglinton, location of the Leaside LRT station. Clark says City Hall’s midtown plan called for buildings to be no higher than eight storeys there. Mr. Clark, who represents the rural riding of Leeds-Grenville et al, is quoted as saying the changes are needed to leverage the province’s plan to spend billions on public transit. Speaking Wednesday the minister said: “It’s my intention today to modify Official Plan Amendments 405 and 406 to send a number of modifications back to the City to really reflect our government’s priorities,” Clark said. “We have to ensure that we have people living close to transit . . . people wanted us to intensify near major transit stations.”
BAYVIEW AND EGLINTON
In recent weeks, updated plans for the redevelopment at Sunnybrook Plaza showed heights of 16 and 11 storeys. It is not known if this limitation is related to underground water flow at the site. It is the scene of the former Cudmore Creek. The news seems in keeping with telegraphed plans for a development over the station on the southeast corner as referenced in The Bulldog recently. A seldom-mentioned redevelopment of the Metro Inc. site on the northwest corner of Bayview and Eglinton could well see towers built there. Many such high-rise buildings now sit on the site of the Bayview Village Shopping Centre at Bayview and Sheppard Ave.
WILD WEST FOR DEVELOPERS?
Mayor John Tory has said he was told of the rejection by the province via text message last night. Councillors Joe Cressy, Kristyn Wong-Tam and Mike Layton issued a joint statement saying work on the plan for downtown Toronto took seven years to complete, calling the province’s rejection the start of “Wild West for developers.” “This Government’s disrespect and outright contempt for the City of Toronto and Torontonians is unlike anything we have ever seen. It is not acceptable. We will not stand for it.” Below is a statement from Councillor Robinson on the decision. She cites crowding, sunlight, water capacity and infrastructure generally. School capacity is a frequently discussed concern.
