Jane and Finch residents rally to demand Metrolinx honour promise of land for community hub

Residents and groups in the Jane and Finch area held a rally Monday afternoon, demanding Metrolinx honour its promise to donate land for a community hub. Tina Yazdani has the details.

By Tina Yazdani and Dilshad Burman

Members of the Jane and Finch community rallied outside the new Finch-West LRT station on Monday, demanding that Metrolinx keep a promise to donate a parcel of land in the area for a much needed community hub.

Metrolinx is reportedly selling the land and community leaders voiced their outrage at the broken promise, calling the act “despicable.”

However, Metrolinx CEO Phil Vester believes there’s been a misunderstanding about the agency’s intentions for the land. He says it is necessary to look at all options when it comes to developing the land and their new plan will result in a better outcome for the community.

“A community hub can go on that portion (of land) and we know that there’s other value that the community can gain from what can go on that property as well,” he said, adding that it’s not about selling the land, but what more can be done with it.

Vester says the current zoning of the land allows for the building of up to six levels on the property.

“Think of it like this — a community hub can go on one level … but there are five more levels that can be used — potentially for affordable housing, potentially for office space — it can be used for many different things that can add value to that community,” said Vester. “That’s the only thing we’re trying to do and that is the root of the misunderstanding.”

But long-time residents say they do not want or need a project like that on the property.

“We don’t want nothing big or fancier. We want the original agreement to be honoured that was resident and community led” says resident Butterfly GoPaul. “We don’t need Metrolinx to dream anything else because it’s going to come with additional costs — and it’s all lies.”

In response, Vester says he’s already suggested that all parties — community leaders, the City of Toronto and Metrolinx — need to meet and “figure out what is the process to get to an agreement and we work out what is the best to deliver.”

“Our proposal is one of maximizing the value and we do that on all of our developments,” he said. “The guidance we’ve got from this government and from every government before this has been to maximize the value from our transit oriented development.”

He added that if the ideas they have do not work for the community, they will be revised.

Both city and provincial leaders say they are committed to making the community hub a reality.

Anthony Peruzza, councillor for Humber River-Black Creek spoke at the rally, saying “we will hold their feet to the fire on that.”

In his daily briefings, Premier Doug Ford said there is no doubt the community hub will be built.

“We’re building it —sure as I’m talking to you right now,” but he added that there is a process to go through.

Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney said that it was “unfortunate” that the project wasn’t properly formalized and it “fell through the cracks,” adding she will look into how that happened.

She said that she co-signed a letter with the Premier to the CEO and the Chair of the board of Metrolinx “underscoring the importance of this project” and advising Metrolinx that they want the land to be used for the community hub.

“We know how important it is,” said Mulroney, adding that they had asked Metrolinx for options to move forward.

“This community hub will be built, it’s going to be part of the plan and we’re just waiting for options. But we have committed to moving forward with it,” she said.

Vester reiterated that the hub has not been taken off the table and feels that Metrolinx did not communicate their plans to the community well enough.

“I can assure you [Metrolinx] is 100 per cent committed to a community hub, 100 per cent committed that the community does not have to pay for the land,” he said.

He added they are committed to engage with the community, hear their views and find a way forward.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today