Controversy over St. Clair Avenue W.

Community up in arms at TTC's plans to make right-of-way lanes along Corso Italia

Business owners with stores on St. Clair Avenue West are protesting the proposal by the City of Toronto of installing a streetcar right-of-way lane. According to Toronto deputy mayor Joe Pantalone and TTC chair Howard Moscoe, however, the initiative will proceed anyway. "When the controversies will have died down," Pantalone remarked, "things will go forward and the right-of-way will be established."
Moscoe was even more direct. "We can't change our mind every time someone says something negative, moreover based on wrong assumptions." He underscored, "This is a good thing for Toronto, and even if a few people complain we have a duty to do what's right for all our citizens." He added that the right-of-way lane "should be extended all the way to Mississauga, after linking it with Dundas."
Moscoe also remarked that improving transport "will enhance the commercial development of St. Clair, boosting business."
Moscoe discounted the claims of a crisis by Spadina businesses after a similar right-of-way lane was created a few years ago. "Those claims," he responded forcefully, "are totally unfounded. On Spadina things were better, not worse, afterwards."
Business owners are very concerned, with some fearing that an eventual drop in sales could even force them to close shop.
Some voiced their "disillusionment" with mayor David Miller, who would not respect the will of local residents.
Moscoe disagrees. "I can understand their desire to protect their personal interests," he said, "but for sure we cannot accept that those prevail over the whole city. Having said this, I also believe that they are mistaken, and this initiative will make the whole neighbourhood grow, and other initiatives that will be beneficial for all."
Pantalone concurs that there will be no ill effects on the local economy. Some business owners claim that it already happened to Spadina, that the local economy was all but destroyed. Deputy mayor Pantalone disagreed. "Also for Spadina, some business owners protested, but what happened was the opposite."
Pantalone hinted that pressuring won't change the situation. "We cannot claim to be in favour of protecting the environment but then, when there is an opportunity to do something concrete, relent to unfounded pressure."
Another important reason for creating the right-of-way lane: "This will encourage the use of public transport, which is a solution to many problems of a big city, first of all traffic congestion, which damages both the environment and the economy."
Pantalone reminded that a fluider traffic is a plus both for pollution control and for commercial and tourist development of an area.
The deputy mayor sent a specific message to business owners: "I would like to invite them to understand these needs, these problems, because these are everybody's problems and we must solve them all together."
Both Pantalone and Moscoe extended an invitation for the local business owners to avoid a clash with city authorities and take part in a serene discussion for the good of all. "I think," said Pantalone, "that such a constructive dialogue must begin at once and involve everyone. Some of their problems can be addressed by negotiating with the TTC and the City. For instance, I think that the look of the street should be brought back to its original beauty."
Pantalone continued, "the status quo is already not working for St. Clair. This is a great opportunity that should be taken and not wasted in controversy."
In short, the City sees that the area already has problems, completely unrelated to the future right-of-way.
But protests continue. A few days ago, a rally at the Piccinnini Centre was attended by some 200 people, many of whom were pensioners. Some 150 took part in a subsequent march from Lansdowne to Bathurst.
"Some seniors are so worried," declared Ida Vivacqua, "that they can't sleep at night. They're more worried than our youth, and risk losing their serenity, their habits, and their friends. They don't understand what the declarations of Mr. Pantalone mean."
Mrs. Vivacqua continued, "Our message is clear, we want to prevent a socioeconomic disaster, but we also want to launch the requalification of Corso Italia and St. Clair."
We asked Mitch Stambler, one of the members of the TTC study group, whether they were considering a wider plan. He replied, "It is not part of our mandate, our role is to study the technical aspects of transports."
The work of the technicians, however, might well change the face of St. Clair.
Some of the residents are asking simply to have the tracks replaced and "to work on a new urban plan for our street, in the framework of the City's larger plan."
"We want to collaborate," said Vivacqua, "with the City and the TTC, but we don't want the foundations of the identity of our neighbourhood uprooted. We ask that the streetcar tracks be replaced. We ask not to waste so much money ($25 million), but to study another plan that could serve our needs for the next 20 years."
The rally and the march were organized by Margaret Smith of the SOS - Save Our St. Clair committee.
Among others, Davenport MPP Tony Ruprecht, Ward 17 City Councillor Cesar Palacio, Corso Italia BIA Chair Jeff Gillan, and former Toronto mayor John Sewell participated and addressed the audience.
Sewell, still a faithful supporter of Toronto, told the participants, "the reduction of streetcar runs on St. Clair is due to a reduction in the number of streetcars, not to problems caused by cars."
"In 1976," insisted Sewell, "there were 40,000 runs a day with 29 streetcars. Nowadays, the number of runs has come down to 30,000, and the number of streetcars has shrunk to 19."

Publication Date: 2004-04-25
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=3894