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Danforth Line 2 Scarborough Subway Extension

Rainforest said:
At least he could have made a more vigorous effort. He had the city's special fund, and the formal funding commitments from both the Province and the Feds. He didn't have to push for a tax increase on his own; that had been taken care of by Stinz and de Baerenmaker, before Tory was elected.

IMO, Tory's team was lacking on the technical side in case of SSE. The McCowan route (underground) was selected based on the early cost estimates, which didn't show much savings for the Uxbridge Sub (at-grade / elevated) route compared to the MCowan one. But later the cost escalated, and much of the escalation was explicitly tied to the undrground construction and the deep Lawrence East station. One would think that the elevated option needs to be revisited at this point, but no such attempt was made.
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I don't think he wanted to be the bad guy pushing elevated anything in Scarborough (let's face it - it wasn't pushed there, nor Eglinton West seriously by anyone for a reason - remember all the "subways" = underground rhetoric thrown around?) - and I dare say that he is probably relieved the province took it off his hands when DoFo rolled around.

If there is one consistency to his "leadership" - is that he pretty much whip whichever way the wind blows provincially.

AoD
 
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AlvinofDiaspar said:
I don't think he wanted to be the bad guy pushing elevated anything in Scarborough (let's face it - it wasn't pushed there, nor Eglinton West seriously by anyone for a reason - remember all the "subways" = underground rhetoric thrown around?) - and I dare say that he is probably relieved the province took it off his hands when DoFo rolled around.

AoD
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I remember the pro-underground rhetoric, but doubt there would be much actual push-back if the city picked the continuous subway along the Uxbridge sub and then the existing SRT guideway. The main sticky point, the Kennedy transfer, would be resolved with that. Some people could have made unhappy noises about the elevated guideway, but noone with influence would try to resist that plan.

I wouldn't be suprised at all if Tory is relieved that the province took SSE off his hands. But that wouldn't be because his situation was so hard; that would be because, frankly, he isn't up to the challenge. He is quite good at handling many small, low-risk issues, but not at taking a calculated risk.
 
Rainforest said:
I remember the pro-underground rhetoric, but doubt there would be much actual push-back if the city picked the continuous subway along the Uxbridge sub and then the existing SRT guideway. The main sticky point, the Kennedy transfer, would be resolved with that. Some people could have made unhappy noises about the elevated guideway, but noone with influence would try to resist that plan.

I wouldn't be suprised at all if Tory is relieved that the province took SSE off his hands. But that wouldn't be because his situation was so hard; that would be because, frankly, he isn't up to the challenge. He is quite good at handling many small, low-risk issues, but not at taking calculated risk.
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Actually I do think there would be - and it would be manifested provincially; remember how there was a short quib about reusing most of the SRT alignment by Glen Murray - and that got silenced real quick?

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
Actually I do think there would be - and it would be manifested provincially; remember how there was a short quib about reusing most of the SRT alignment by Glen Murray - and that got silenced real quick?

AoD
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I believe Glen Murray's alignment died because it didn't forecast much saving compared to the McCowan route, according to the early estimates. The difference was estimated at something like $300 million at the time. If that held, then the McCowan route (3 stops, with service to the hospital and connection to Sheppard) is much more appealing than Murray's 2-stop option.

But if the difference is $2 billion, that's another situation.

At the very least, I'd prefer if John Tory had made an effort to get the cost under control and the project going, but got opposed by the council if it has to be so. An honest attempt, no shame if it didn't work.
 
Rainforest said:
I believe Glen Murray's alignment died because it didn't forecast much saving compared to the McCowan route, according to the early estimates. The difference was estimated at something like $300 million at the time. If that held, then the McCowan route (3 stops, with service to the hospital and connection to Sheppard) is much more appealing than Murray's 2-stop option.

But if the difference is $2 billion, that's another matter.

At the very least, I'd prefer if John Tory had made an effort to get the cost under control and the project going, but got opposed by the council if it has to be so. An honest attempt, no shame if it didn't work.
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That's the convenient excuse anyways by TTC (via Stintz et al) - and we now know that underground figure turned out to be utter garbage.

AoD
 
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Whatever one's position on the SSE..............The Grandstanding Motion of the week goes to............."Josh Matlow"

Coming to next week's City Council meeting.....



MM27.15
ACTION​
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Ward: All​

Don’t Leave Scarborough Residents on the Bus: It’s Finally Time to Move Forward with the Light Rapid Transit Plan That Will Provide More Service, for Fewer Dollars, and Can Be Up and Running Sooner - by Councillor Josh Matlow, seconded by Councillor Paul Ainslie​


Recommendations​
Councillor Josh Matlow, seconded by Councillor Paul Ainslie, recommends that:

1. City Council request the Province of Ontario to stop work on the 3-stop Scarborough Subway Extension and, instead, construct the 7-stop Scarborough Light Rapid Transit Project to deliver more transit sooner to Scarborough residents.

2. City Council request the Province of Ontario to direct the money saved from reverting to the Scarborough Light Rapid Transit Project toward the Eglinton East Light Rapid Transit Extension to Malvern.​
 
Rainforest said:
Josh Matlow really shows signs of an unhealthy fixation. Instead of taking care of his own ward, his is fixated with replacing one plan that leaves the Scarborough residents on the bus, with another plan that leaves them on the bus as well.
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I'm not sure that's his fixation.........

Perhaps...........

But I rather tend to think its more a matter of being the centre of attention.
 
Rainforest said:
Josh Matlow really shows signs of an unhealthy fixation. Instead of taking care of his own ward, his is fixated with replacing one plan that leaves the Scarborough residents on the bus, with another plan that leaves them on the bus as well.
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It's pointless posturing - probably more about solidifying his cred. I am not sure what Ainslie had to gain from this though.

AoD
 
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