Toronto West Don Lands: Blocks 17 & 26 | 141m | 43s | Aspen Ridge | Core Architects

I'm not defending the use of the MZO or the demolition of the buildings on site. I'm against both. I just think the approach the city is taking is essentially a waste of time and effort and everything will be gone by time there is any movement.

The city should send police in to stop construction crews from crossing the ROW into the site. Use some of those blocks they were using to close up illegal dispensaries to block access to the site - and then play out the battle in court. Get some MPP's camped out in the building so crews cant do any further damage.

The current approach just looks like a bunch of people screaming at someone who isn't listening, while the buildings continue coming down.
It's a tough / impossible ask to expect the City to direct police (it can't) or take actions to block the ROW where it has no legal justification to do so. The government can't (i.e. shouldn't) act illegally. It might help if somebody were willing to camp out in the building as a form of civil disobedience, but many people are not in a position to do this and risk arrest. So people are left with exploring legal action, which takes time, or putting as much pressure on the Province as possible through protests and the media. To some extent, you have to depend on the common decency of the Province, which is lacking.
 
^ It may matter depending on what happens at court. I think I heard during the coverage of the Committee that the Province had to do something related to the heritage before demolition and since the City hasn't received it, they are going to ask the court to see if it was done.

It wont matter. The City Solicitor hasn't decided whether to even go to court to seek and injunction yet. The timeline through council is not for two weeks (If they even vote to). The demolition may not be done, but the damage to the buildings by that point will make them unsafe to keep anyways. If the province does find the law was broken, it wont matter. The province will pay some arbitrary fine and still sell the property to whichever developer currently has them by the balls for some reason. And the most unimaginative monstrosity will get built here.
 
To some extent, you have to depend on the common decency of the Province, which is lacking.

And that's my issue with this approach. The Province has shown it doesn't care what the city thinks time and time again. It's time to take more drastic measures. Toronto needs to pull a Daly on Meigs Field here and do something illegal to draw more attention and force the Province to listen.

Meigs_field_runway4.JPG
 
I'm not defending the use of the MZO or the demolition of the buildings on site. I'm against both. I just think the approach the city is taking is essentially a waste of time and effort and everything will be gone by time there is any movement.
At this point, they're just grandstanding.
 
It wont matter. The City Solicitor hasn't decided whether to even go to court to seek and injunction yet. The timeline through council is not for two weeks (If they even vote to). The demolition may not be done, but the damage to the buildings by that point will make them unsafe to keep anyways.

Not to be a broken record, but this is why it is important to step up and fund the Friends of the Foundry to take legal action. Those who believe this is a travesty cannot be complacent and wait for the City. Donations can be made here: https://gofund.me/77b4ae97. I've already made mine (anonymously).
 
confirmed with Wong-Tam where this info came from, said city obtained it through provincial reps after their request for info on monday. demanded that public see further info regarding this. if we are to buy these numbers, using the blanket '1000' number that applies to all three West Don Lands sites to justify the demo of the Foundry buildings, while only 264 aff. units actually get built seems like a strong point to continue with the injunction (among many other reasons).
 
Wow. That degree of minimal affordability in this development is shockingly low even by my already through the floor low standards of what to expect. And handing this off to a developer to make $$$ here on market condo is absolutely wrong and should be a scandal. You'd think they'd have the sense to build more affordable housing here if only to strengthen their argument that they're bringing affordable housing to the people. For it to be so little shows how little they care.

Ford's actions are genuinely corrupt here, and we need to end Government by Buddies next election otherwise god knows what they'll do next if we enable them to hold this power over us again. Ford, his cabinet, and the entire cowardly self-interested irresponsible OPC structure around him are treating Ontario and Toronto despicably. They should be ashamed of themselves, but I'm not sure they have the human capacity or self awareness to feel that. (Not even getting into the blood on their hands with regards to COVID response.)
 
And handing this off to a developer to make $$$ here on market condo is absolutely wrong and should be a scandal.
tbh, whatever developer has participated in this backroom deal is going to have to have a pretty good PR strategy to sell units after all the press coverage showing the demo of heritage buildings to make way for it. that is unless these towers wont happen for 2-3 years, which is probably the case, at which point the general public will have unfortunately forgotten what used to be here..
 
I doubt it. Ford isn't going to lose much political capital out of this (if any). Residents around here weren't voting for him or the PCs anyways, and those in farther flung areas (his base) will see this just as more cantankerous downtown elites wanting everything. Likewise the developer: as long as the market continues the way it has, there won't be any issue selling units here.

I don't like the above, but that's almost assuredly the reality.
 
UPDATE: there’s a socially-distanced demonstration today at noon at the Foundry. Wong-Tam will be on site to give more info on the court injunction that apparently may be submitted prior to feb 2 given the new housing number info found yesterday. For those of us UT’ers who feel this is important enough to show support, the invitation is out there! The more media blitz, the more chance it may accelerate the speed of the legal proceedings and save some of the buildings. Hopefully...
 

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