Advertisement

News

Space case for Yonge-Eg

To call the interlocking-brick pad on the northwest corner of Yonge-Eglinton a public square might be a stretch.[rssbreak]

The Al Green sculptures scattered here and there may prompt the odd passersby to stop and take in the surroundings. But aside from noon-hour lunchers from nearby office towers, the space is more passive passageway to the Yonge Eglinton Centre than Euro-inspired gathering place.

Maybe if RioCan, owner of the space and the skyscrapers that rise above it, hadn’t removed the benches when they bought the buildings in 2007, the so called square might have stood a chance of turning into something of a people place.

To locals, the spot is nevertheless sacred – it’s the only open space they’ve got on the cluttered corner. And the thing about open space, of course, is that once it’s lost to development there’s no reclaiming it.

Last week, in a 35-to-7 vote, council approved RioCan’s plan to turn the space over to more retail, a three-storey number, and to tack five and seven storeys respectively onto the existing towers anchoring the space. That decision is mystifying even if the plaza, underutilized as it is, doesn’t quite rate as a “square.” There are plenty of planning reasons to preserve it as open space.

Start with the fact that Yonge and Eglinton is a major transportation node, and the need for open space will only become more important when Transit City’s Eglinton West LRT is built (keeping our fingers crossed here).

The city’s own Official Plan points out that the Yonge-Eglinton intersection is deficient in open space, and the area’s population is already twice the target in provincial growth plans.

Construction of a 40-storey tower on land currently occupied by the TTC barns on the southwest corner will further increase density.

Supporters of RioCan’s plans argue that the sky didn’t fall as predicted when Silver City intruded onto the corner. And again when the Minto Towers on the southeast corner were built a few years ago.

RioCan’s plan, they say, is not the last domino in the slow, inevitable death of the corner.

The irony: in return for paving over Starrett Avenue to build on the northwest corner back in 1968, the city required open space of the developer. And so the Yonge-Eglinton square was born.

It’s been suggested that had the city’s more resident-friendly south district planning office handled RioCan’s development application instead of the north district office, the outcome would have been different.

Area residents have the option of appealing RioCan’s plan at the Ontario Municipal Board – something they are reportedly considering.

But fighting the biggest real estate holding firm in the country may prove futile. Just ask Karen Stintz. The area councillor who beat out long-time incumbent Anne Johnston over the Minto plan voted for the RioCan proposal.

enzom@nowtoronto.com

Advertisement

Exclusive content and events straight to your inbox

Subscribe to our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By signing up, I agree to receive emails from Now Toronto and to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Recently Posted