Sunday 8 November 2020

BATH STREET – “BUMPS AND CIRCUITS”

Council considered a report from staff at its meeting held 28th September, 2020, regarding the Bath Street site. The report recommended that Council now proceed with design, and obtaining Development Consent, for the previously mooted “boutique café” (with potential for some hire facilities) but still retain the site as commercial Operational Land. Obviously, most people thought that this café was a much better outcome than the original proposal of a commercial building of up to six storeys high. 

The details on the actual size and extent of the café building with a large deck, were very generalised and vague, with the Mayor at one point in the meeting referring to it as a restaurant. Councillor Wendy Harrison moved to both define the size of the development and to reclassify the site as Community Land, that would become part of the adjoining Foreshore Park.

Council adopted that part of Cr Harrison’s motion defining the size and extent of the development, but not the other part to reclassify this Council owned property to Community Land. The only argument presented for this position was the claim that commercial Operational Land classification provides staff with more business opportunities and easier leasing arrangements. This was disappointing given that the legislation really only provides for very minimal controls to protect basic community interests or standards, when leases are granted for private businesses to operate on Community Park Land.

Council’s own planning documents show that Toronto needs more park land to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population and the increasing number and size of apartment blocks in the nearby area. The decision not to incorporate the Bath Street site into the Foreshore Park therefore seems very short-sighted.

Earlier this year Council purchased a privately owned property at Swansea that adjoins a foreshore park so that the park could be expanded. At Toronto, Council already owns the land and there is a demonstrated need for parkland. The community is entitled to ask why there is such differential treatment between the two suburbs?



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