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Toronto's field of dreams, er, weeds

By DON PEAT, Toronto Sun

Last Updated: June 17, 2010 6:56pm

Toronto Councillor Cesar Palacio upset that entrance to the Joseph J. Piccininni Centre on St. Clair Ave. W. has become a "field of weeds" since the streetcar right of way construction began. (DON PEAT/Toronto Sun)

Councillor Cesar Palacio calls it the Field of Weeds.
The Davenport councillor met with City of Toronto officials Thursday for a walk along the St. Clair Ave. streetcar right-of-way to point out deficiencies in the multi-million-dollar project.
While the right-of-way was originally supposed to cost $48 million, the cost has soared past $100 million.
“And this is what we have to show for St. Clair,” Palacio told the Sun Thursday as he pointed to dead trees in the new sidewalk and around the new streetcar stops.
But it’s not just the dead trees scattered along the right-of-way from the St. Clare Catholic Church near St. Clair Ave. W. and Westmount Ave. to the Joseph J. Piccininni Centre further west along the street near Caledonia Rd.
Palacio wants the city’s technical services department to return the area outside the community centre back to the manicured gardens that were there before the construction.
“The public was promised all of this,” he said. “It’s a total disservice to the community...this is supposed to be the jewel of the crown in our community.”
Palacio said the community should look like it is “once again open for business” but that’s not the message residents get when they see overgrown and unweeded gardens outside the community centre.
“People are upset and angry, and rightfully so,” he said. “At this point there is no way to be accountable, that’s my frustration.”
Steve Adams, manager of TTC and special projects for the city’s Technical Services Department, did not return an interview request Thursday.