One of Toronto's most colourful intersections is about to change in a major way thanks to the approval of two new condo towers at Dufferin and King.
So... say goodbye to the wildest McDonalds in town, I guess. And to the much-loved Island Foods.
Civil disobedience happens when people feel like no one is listening. Banner says it all. "Protesters shut down city hall meeting over proposed King St. condo in Parkdale" https://t.co/5BcYAddGMr #topoli
— Nancy Leblanc (@NancyCLeblanc) November 14, 2017
Toronto and East York Community Council voted yesterday to approve a contentious Lifetime Developments project in Toronto's west end based on recommendations from city planning staff.
The complex will consist of one 17-storey condo tower at 1182 King St. W. and one 14-storey tower across the street at 1221 King St. W.
Image via Urban Toronto / Submission to the City of Toronto.
The first tower will be built at the northeast corner of King and Dufferin, where there currently stands a plaza containing Island Foods, a Burger King and a Pet Valu store, among other things.
Image via Urban Toronto / Submission to the City of Toronto.
The second, shorter tower will go where McDonald's and Hasty Market are right now, at the southwest corner of the busy intersection.
This will bring a total of 293 "high-end" condominium units to the Parkdale area, where residents say they're already feeling the pinch of gentrification in their neighbourhood.
Parkdale residents unfurl banner decrying "luxury" condos and demanding affordable housing. Wong-Tam calls for a recess as someone shouts "Say something!" at the politicians
— Jennifer Pagliaro (@jpags) November 14, 2017
Members of the community worry that these new towers will further drive up home and rental prices in the area – which is why some local residents attended yesterday's council meeting to protest the development.
"What Parkdale needs is more affordable housing units, not a luxury condominium," said Aaron Pool of Dale Ministries to the committee yesterday, according to The Star.
Another gentleman who'd grown up in Parkdale told the committee that he was currently couch surfing in his own neighbourhood due to a lack of affordable housing options.
He expressed concern that the development would bring more "expensive people" to the area, further driving up the cost of living.
It looked to me that the protest was about no affordable housing being included where it is hundreds of luxury-oriented units. Parkdale residents are already being pushed to fringes of affordability. Fill a condo with affordable units, don’t think there would be complaints.
— asharrison (@AdamoHarrison) November 15, 2017
Parkdale-High Park Councillor Gord Perks, a longtime advocate for affordable housing in the area, said approving the development at this stage was the wisest move.
If council had refused the application, Lifetime could have appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board. In this case, the developer would not have to abide by the city's requirements to include affordable housing measures in its plans.
Perks told protesters that he had already managed to secure such things from the developer as parkland and financial contributions for the purchase of affordable rooming houses in the area.
by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO
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