Mayor Rob Ford's Toronto

**Justin10000** · 2012-Mar-22, 13:24

Originally Posted by typezed

The downside of a clear victory on the LRT projects is that when these projects run over-schedule, over-budget and compromised (as they always do, and will certainly do with the mayor, an ideological third of council and a vocal segment of the population in the areas served running aggressive interference for the next several years), those who shouted loudest for the unsuitable and impossible fantasy projects will too easily be able to repeat over and over that none of these negatives would have happened if their lead had been followed.

What TTC project has gone over budget, and schedule? Please do not say St. Clair. Stayed on budget.

**rm20010** · 2012-Mar-22, 13:55

Originally Posted by PinkLucy

Doug is calling is fellow councillors monkeys (he apologized), and Rob is predicting a boondoggle: http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local...?hub=CP24Home/ (no monkey calling in the clip)

Here's the monkey clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SykS3xrdS8

Heh. It's the apes making monkey insults!

**Paleo** · 2012-Mar-22, 15:02

Originally Posted by Justin10000

What TTC project has gone over budget, and schedule? Please do not say St. Clair. Stayed on budget.

On the floor of council yesterday, Frances Nunziata claimed that the St. Clair Disaster was $100 million over budget.

**neubilder** · 2012-Mar-22, 15:42

Victory.

Bizarre how Ford insists LRT will go over budget, yet he wanted to start drilling for subways without even a plan in place. I suppose if he has no plan and no budget he can't blow the budget.

Well, next stop: Fort York Bridge.

**TonyV** · 2012-Mar-22, 15:46

^ Well, it is clear to a lot of us that the Ford supporters elected someone who is incapable.

The loss for Ford is incalculable. Council has behaved responsibly, spending what they know they can spend. Ford has behaved irresponsibly all along, when pressed for a finance plan for his subways.

I'm glad to see Council asserting themselves over the mayor. It's a huge relief, but damn, I wish we weren't going through this. What wasted time this has been. Let's remember it in 2014.

**denfromoakvillemilton** · 2012-Mar-22, 15:47

I talked to Joe Mihevic yesterday.

Construction should begin again around this time next year if not sooner.

Sheppard will be done for 2015.

**neubilder** · 2012-Mar-22, 15:50

My understanding is that Transit City can recommence almost immediately.

**TheTigerMaster** · 2012-Mar-22, 16:02

Originally Posted by denfromoakvillemilton

I talked to Joe Mihevic yesterday.

Construction should begin again around this time next year if not sooner.

Sheppard will be done for 2015.

Do you know when in 2015 it will be done. The project needs to be past the point of no return before the next municipal election in October 2014.

**voxpopulicosmicum** · 2012-Mar-22, 16:30

Originally Posted by TheTigerMaster

Do you know when in 2015 it will be done. The project needs to be past the point of no return before the next municipal election in October 2014.

Based on today's events at Queen's Park, it would surprise me if we have to wait until Oct. 2014 for the next provincial election. Also, the rhetoric shows that Ford's current campaign mode is increasingly focused on the next provincial election, and not just the next municipal election.

**Admiral Beez** · 2012-Mar-22, 16:49

Originally Posted by TonyV

I'm glad to see Council asserting themselves over the mayor. It's a huge relief, but damn, I wish we weren't going through this. What wasted time this has been. Let's remember it in 2014.

IMO it's not wasted time. We all needed a lesson in the workings and hierarchy of municipal politics, especially any future mayoral candidates. Brooms and boiling pots aside, city government under Miller, Lastman, etc. was never this interesting or exciting.

OT, am I the only one who thinks Stintz is cute? Notwithstanding the dreadful photos the Sun finds. They'd make a super model look ugly.

**Frankie1984** · 2012-Mar-22, 16:56

Yesterday and today's events almost made you forget that there is a library and impending inside workers strike. This may get even uglier for Ford.

**typezed** · 2012-Mar-22, 17:42

Originally Posted by Justin10000

What TTC project has gone over budget, and schedule? Please do not say St. Clair. Stayed on budget.

Whether or not St. Clair was on budget on the TTC component, the way the project unfolded left plenty of fodder for people opposed to transit improvement to spread the message that it was wildly mismanaged. Didn't Roncesvalles also extend over a longer period than originally planned? At the last regular council meeting, McConnell made a statement about major cost increases on the Union project (overall, not just the TTC part).

These are huge unwieldy projects, and our city departments aren't the most nimble. There will be snafus. Proponents may have oversold some of the benefits. This debate has left blood in the water. The slash-and-burn tactics of Ford and his supporters won't cease. LRT supporters are now exposed to every bump in the construction. They'll all be magnified, and the message every time will be that this is happening only because we're not building subways. Ford isn't building anything, he doesn't have to wear anything. He gets to stand on the sidelines and make attempts to undermine everything, all while polishing his image as the fighter for the little guy.

**MisterF** · 2012-Mar-22, 18:52

Good move by Council - the line should have been LRT all along. My only wish out of all this is that the line went directly to Scarborough City Centre. Instead it completely bypasses the high density node and meets the SRT somewhere at a random suburban intersection nearby. That spot makes zero sense as an interchange. With not one, but two transfers required between Scarborough and North York centres, the line will be a failure at fulfilling its original purpose.