City Hall's/Miller reno blunder
By ROB GRANATSTEIN
Toronto politicians are used to having their every decision examined under a high-powered microscope. So when word filtered out about a $6.2 million renovation at City Hall, the obvious response was "You have to be kidding."
Quickly, it elevated to "You must be drinking!"
The $6.2 million includes expanding the mayor's office on the second floor of City Hall, so all his staff -- a roster soon to swell by five to 23 -- are in one spot.
No matter how necessary, the public perception is that this is idiotic. The plan may end up being dead in the water come budget debate time because of outrage both inside and outside City Hall.
"I can think of 6.2 million better ways to spend that money," said Coun. Gloria Lindsay Luby, whose staffers would have to pack their bags to make room for the mayor's empire to be housed in one spot, rather than continuing to be 30 strides down the hall.
Coun. Joe Mihevc, a member of the mayor's executive team, said he wonders if this item has jumped the queue.
"When you're spending $6.2 million here and you can't find money for a park playground, that's not good," said Mihevc, who would also lose his view of Nathan Phillips Square if the mayor's staff bumps him out of his office.
"I think the case has not been solidly made," he said.
Before screaming "are you all insane?!" we should look at why city staff recommended these changes -- renovations planned since 1998 -- although now tucked away as the last item at the bottom of page 13 of the "Facilities and Real Estate" capital budget.
The reason? City staff concluded there wasn't enough meeting space at City Hall.
Under the City of Toronto Act, public engagement is expected to soar, said city spokesman Rob Andrusevich. "We'll just have that many more meetings." In other words, there isn't enough room for all the extra hot air.
But Toronto does not need more meeting rooms for community consultation. If you want to consult with the community, do it at one of the many city buildings around town -- for example, the civic centres in North York, Scarborough, East York or Etobicoke. Or use the Toronto council chamber more, as Lindsay Luby suggests.
Community consultation is important, but let's not get carried away. Progress is already seized up thanks to endless community outreach.
It's a delay tactic for politicians (especially when an election's on the horizon).
A FRILL
There's one more item that's part of the $6.2 million budget -- a new media studio, like they have at Queen's Park.
Lovely? Sure. A frill? You bet.
The media can make do with standing in the mayor's protocol lounge, or in the members' lounge behind the council chamber. Or hold media briefings in the Press Gallery, where all the media have their offices anyway.
"Nobody's really requested a better media gallery," said Toronto City Hall Press Gallery president David Nickle.
This $6.2 million, if you're going to spend it, can make life better for Torontonians in so many smarter ways. No one would blink if you put it in the roads budget to fix potholes. Or put it toward Union Station renovations, so that grand old building doesn't fall down around the hundreds of thousands of people walking through it every day.
Fix up community centres or homeless shelters -- something that can make a real difference in people's lives.
Let's keep a little perspective here, too.
The city is floating a $1.4 billion capital budget this year. So $2 million out of that this year (the other $4.2 million is for next year) isn't even one-fifth of 1% of the amount set to be spent on things like new TTC vehicles, buildings, renos and the like.
ACTING LIKE INFANTS
But the problem is, perception trumps the math.
This council is already saddled with the worst reputation possible, especially after acting like infants during last week's class photo meltdown.
Even if this idea does make a spec of sense -- and I'm not conceding it does -- when this council walks into a room with two black eyes, bad bed head and its fly down, any hope of being taken seriously by the public, Queen's Park or Ottawa is lost. It all ends up as just another $6.2 million slap in the face of taxpayers.
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