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Oct. 10 - Oct. 17, 2004 |
The Future of St. Clair in the Works
Various City Councillors explain motivation behind votes that allow TTC right-of-way
By Niccolò Marras
This is a half-won battle." "It was a very difficult decision." "I'm not satisfied." "The war goes on." These are words uttered by some of the protagonists of the St. Clair-TTC debate, the day after the City Council decision.
The members of SOS - Save Our St. Clair look partially satisfied; they don't acknowledge losing a battle, they think they've obtained something.
At the same time, some of the 36 city councillors who voted in favour of the TTC plan confirm the intention to have the works carried out as well and as fast as possible, following the recommendations included in the approval of Option 6, in order to satisfy at least some of the demands of the community.
Italian-Canadian Councillor Mike Del Grande explained that his decision to vote in favour of the plan was a hard one. "It was like asking a father to choose which of his two children he loved more, or which to sacrifice. A father loves all his children the same. Both projects were good, and choosing one or the other was difficult."
"I knew that Option 6 would pass," added Mike Del Grande. "I spoke with the mayor and he told me that we had to look forward, so he would support the plan. When Miller supports a proposal, at least 21 or 22 councillors follow his lead and vote for it." Del Grande was among those who calculated that the total cost of the project would come to $65 million.
"This is a rather large sum, which will be spent for the community living around St. Clair. This money will be spent in the city and create jobs," said Del Grande. "I think that when the project will be completed we will all benefit from it: residents and businesses alike. Of course, during the works there will be some discomfort and some sacrifices to be made."
A problem could arise with the additional funds, amounting to about $33 million, which are not available now but City Council committed to spending in beautifying St. Clair.
"I hope that everyone will keep the deal," concluded Del Grande. "We'll work to make sure of that."
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