Politics should not trump good planning

Re Metrolinx: Rethink new GO stations, Editorial,

Aug. 29 The combined news of planning mistakes around two GO stations and the departure of Toronto’s chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat tells a sad story of self-serving politicians.

Both Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca and Toronto Mayor John Tory had their own GO plans for two additional stations that suited their political schemes, but contradicted Metrolinx’ plans. The cost to citizens would be hundreds of millions of dollars.

Keesmaat, who is a visionary and highly skilled planner, recommended a customer-friendly, seven-stop LRT through Scarborough, but the political push opts for a one-stop subway station instead (cost $1 billion). Keesmaat and other planners also opposed the absurd expansion of the Gardiner Expressway, costing another $1 billion-plus.

Since it is unlikely that politicians will change their habit of putting their own re-election ahead of city planning, we must change legislation to stop their interference. Urban planning is not for amateurs, but requires a vast amount of technical knowledge, analysis and imagination to create city developments for decades to come.

Politicians must serve the planners and not the other way around. Ulla Colgrass, Toronto So Metrolinx thinks no GO station will be needed at Lawrence East where the present Scarborough RT station is.

The original light-rail line that would have been built by now was going to have a station there, and then John Tory’s Smart Track was going to have a station there.

Now we in Scarborough are supposed to be ecstatic that we’re going to have a subway that does not serve Lawrence Ave. E. and no Smart Track station, either.

Having worked on and off at the present Lawrence East station a few years ago, I know it is well used and that many of us in Scarborough are going to have worse transit service due to this decision. Doug Fisher, Toronto