City Hall Is Green On The Outside

But not in it's committee rooms as two environmental councilors found out when they tried to scuttle one of Mayor Miller's pet projects......

Front St. project survives attack
Two rookie councillors fail in bid to kill $225 million plan to extend roadway as part of waterfront revitalization plan
March 01, 2007
Paul Moloney
CITY HALL BUREAU

The $255 million Front St. extension project has survived another assault, this time from two rookie councillors who desperately want to kill it once and for all.

Newly elected Councillors Gord Perks (Ward 14, Parkdale-High Park) and Adam Vaughan (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina) appeared before council's executive committee to argue for the roadway's demise.

But Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone, who indicated he is backed by Mayor David Miller and budget chief Councillor Shelley Carroll, convinced the powerful executive committee to keep the link as part of the city's waterfront revitalization initiative.

The committee voted this week to leave it on the books. Committee members also rubberstamped the city's $1.4 billion 2007 capital budget, which now goes on to city council for final approval next week.

The extension, which has been talked about for two decades, would extend Front St. from Bathurst St. to connect with the Gardiner Expressway near Dufferin St., providing a new commuter route to the downtown area.

Critics of the link, who would rather see the money spent on transit or other waterfront projects, have managed to delay it – but not remove it – from the budget.

In the most recent five-year plan, $1 million would be spent in 2010, followed by $51 million between 2012 and 2016 as part of the city's one-third share. Federal and provincial governments are each to cover one-third of the cost.

Perks said there are better uses for scarce waterfront money.

"The Front Street extension is bad for downtown neighbourhoods, it's bad for the environment, it's bad for the waterfront," Perks said.

Vaughan said the project has not received a green light but city officials appear to assume it will go ahead.

"Residents in my ward are absolutely opposed to this project and they're very worried every time they see it incrementally advanced by stealth at this council," Vaughan said.

"There are better ways to spend that money on the waterfront. Access to that waterfront will not be enhanced by a road system which creates yet another barrier."

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