A Toronto city councillor is organizing a rally to push back against redevelopment plans that would see a community plaza torn and replaced with several condo towers.
Ward 8 Eglinton-Lawrence Councillor Mike Colle has sounded the alarm for the project that could see Lawrence Plaza (Lawrence Ave. and Bathurst St.) demolished and replaced with condos in the future.
The proposed development will include seven 12-to-40-storey mixed-use towers and a six-storey mid-rise building. RioCan and Milestone Group are partnering for the development which will take over the northwest corner of Lawrence Avenue West and Bathurst Street, according to Urban Toronto.
Colle has taken to social media calling the plans an “overkill,” and the councillor is now organizing a rally to save the plaza on Nov. 20 at 12:30 p.m. outside the Winners.
“This is our Town Centre and much more than a plaza. Change and improvements are welcome but this proposed development is overkill,” Colle said in a post on Instagram.
In a statement to Now Toronto, Colle says he is mostly concerned with the density; if plans move forward, the site could see nearly 3,000 new units in the area.
“It will be unworkable for the retail businesses to continue and survive,” Colle said.
According to media reports, redevelopment plans are calling for a “phased approach” that could allow some businesses to keep their doors open longer than others, but Colle says this approach still doesn’t help them in the long run.
“They can’t absorb that many tenants and keep the retail alive with all the construction activity and all of the traffic congestion which is already very dysfunctional there,” he said.
As a result, Colle says he is seeking a “total redesign of the project.”
“That includes affordable housing for seniors, and that better protects the retail businesses in the plaza that serves the community as a vital social and community hub,” he said.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROWS
Several community members have shown opposition to the developments, including fourth generation owner of United Bakers Nathan Ladovsky, a beloved business that’s been a staple in plaza since 1984.
“We’re not opposed to change. We want to ensure that change is mindful of the existing community, and… just is proportional to what can reasonably be accommodated in the area,” Ladovsky told Now Toronto on Wednesday.
Ladovsky says communication during the proposal process has not been strong, leading to even more confusion and concerns.
“Greater communication and clarity from the developer on exactly what they have planned would help assuage some of the concerns amongst residents. And I think there we really don’t have clarity on how they’re going to proceed with this development,” he said.
Ladovsky says support from Colle has been tremendous but hopes to see all levels of government step in, including politicians who have a presence in the area.
He says regardless of what happens, United Bakers will continue to operate “just as [they] have for 113 years.”
An online petition has been launched to help save the plaza, and has reached nearly 50 per cent of its signature goals as of publication.
While preserving businesses that have long stood at the site is a key concern, the petition lists other issues, such as affordability.
The petition says the developments will also “price out” residents who currently live in the area.
In addition, the petition argues that the development will lead to a “traffic nightmare” that will result in gridlock and increased commute times.
Now Toronto reached out to RioCan and Milestone Group for comment.
