No appointment yet

Mayor expected to bring city staffers with him to pitch Parkway project at Queen’s Park

The mayor doesn’t have an appointment yet with Premier Kathleen Wynne, regarding the possibility of extending The Parkway to the north and south.

Last month, city council voted to allow Mayor Daryl Bennett to ask for an appointment with both Premier Wynne and with MPP Chris Ballard, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

The idea is to see whether they might consider setting aside an order for more study on The Parkway and allow the city to start extending the road to the north and to the south.

Meanwhile council has removed a plan to put a bridge over Jackson Park, as part of The Parkway.

This week, both Bennett and city CAO Allan Seabrooke stated in emails that there was no date yet for that meeting at Queen’s Park.

Neither commented on who might be going along with the mayor, either – although Seabrooke wrote that two or three city staff members would go along with Bennett.

Seabrooke didn’t name the staffers. No citizens or city councillors will be going along, he said later.

On Monday at City Hall, following the planning meeting, some councillors who are against The Parkway plan said they were still unhappy about the mayor’s forthcoming trip to Queen’s Park.

Coun. Gary Baldwin said he’d like to know who’s going along with the mayor to Toronto.

“I’d just like to know who His Worship is taking,” he said.

Coun. Keith Riel said he can’t understand why Premier Wynne would consider allowing the city to circumvent the order for more study on The Parkway.

When council voted in favour of The Parkway in 2014, 88 citizens filed appeals to the province. Provincial cabinet considered it then, Riel points out, and they asked for more study.

Why should Wynne change her mind now, Riel wonders: “She chairs cabinet!”