http://www.thestar.com/news/article/981566--23-million-fort-york-bridge-rejected-in-council-surprise
As a councillor, Mayor Rob Ford unsuccessfully tried to kill the long-planned Fort York pedestrian and cycling bridge. Thanks to a Tuesday-night surprise by one of Ford’s allies, the bridge may be dead now.
The S-shaped bridge was to be built in time for next year’s War of 1812 bicentennial. Supporters had touted it as a key waterfront revitalization project that would improve access to the historic fort, spur local development, link a network of parks, and allow cyclists to avoid busy streets. But its price tag, which had risen to $23 million from $18 million, was criticized by council conservatives.
Though funding for the bridge was included in the 2011 budget, the public works and infrastructure committee still had to grant the city approval to sign a construction contract. Near the end of a marathon Tuesday meeting dominated by hours of public deputations on the outsourcing of waste collection, Councillor David Shiner instead introduced a motion to ask staff to find a lower-cost alternative. The motion passed 4-2.
The bridge, said Shiner (Ward 24, Willowdale), does not need to be so “fancy” given the city’s fiscal constraints and given that it will not carry many people.
“You want to connect the people there, but at what cost? I have a lot of concern that we’re so financially tight — just think about what that $23 million could do for bridge rehab, for road repair; think of the community centres it could fix up, of the children’s services and child care centres it could provide,” he said.
“I think it’s important to have a sober second look at this, and that’s all I’m trying to do. I definitely want to have a connection; I know how important it is to connect our pathways and our parks. But this is like a Golden Gate Bridge . . . it’s unaffordable.”
The bridge was to link Fort York with Stanley Park at Wellington St. W. over the GO railway tracks. The city has already spent $1.3 million on the project.
Shiner said he came to his opinion independently. But local Councillor Mike Layton (Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina), who called the bridge design “iconic,” said he saw Ford’s hand in Shiner’s motion.
Councillor Doug Ford has expressed unhappiness with city-led waterfront initiatives and mused about a lakeshore future involving a football stadium, a monorail and high-end stores.
“I think this is the first pin being pulled out of all the good work being done trying to build the waterfront that Toronto deserves. This is the first hit, the first piece they’ve taken away,” Layton said.
“The private-sector development that Councillor Ford wants comes from key infrastructure investments like these . . . If we don’t make them, we don’t create the climate for the private sector to come in and create that wealth. So they’re shooting themselves in the foot on this one.”