Metrolinx must honour its Jane-Finch land deal
Earnest consultation and accountability structures should be baked into the process if we are really trying to build complete community infrastructure that is wellness based
Last week, community advocates and residents of Jane and Finch and its surrounding neighbourhoods let out a collective sigh of deep disappointment. Metrolinx announced a reversal to an assurance that land currently being used as preparatory space while the Finch West Light Rail Transit project is under construction would be turned over to the municipality for community development.
At the completion of the $1.2-billion LRT transit project in 2023, instead of honouring a commitment they made to a vulnerable Toronto community, Metrolinx plans to sell off the parcel of land at Finch Avenue West and York Gate Boulevard to the highest bidder.
How Metrolinx’s decision makers saw this moment of COVID-19 isolation, grief and struggle as the right time to announce a sudden change in longbuilt plans toward community space is wounding.
Did they really think it would go unnoticed?
There is a big difference between a cornered-off community space in a private development and a flagship public space across Finch Avenue with amenities so required in the area.
Further statements from Metrolinx have included promising language about their commitment to seeing a community centre move forward, but actions will matter more than words.
Metrolinx is the provincial agency responsible for maintaining, planning and building large-scale transit projects in Ontario. Premier Doug Ford’s government has a duty to make it clear that any directive that requires surplus land to be sold at market value is being lifted. Contracts should be set in place to transfer the land where municipal or community developments have been under discussion for decades and are far past feasibility studies.
All three levels of government play a role in laying out the guidelines for how infrastructure is funded and built. Earnest consultation and accountability structures should be baked into the process if we are really trying to build complete community infrastructure that is wellness based.
Thousands of volunteer hours from members of the community went into envisioning and planning for a community hub that meets local needs. They should not be in vain. Who holds Metrolinx accountable for land commitments made through the development process that are not kept at the completion of projects?
Michelle Francis is a former co-chair for the Community Action Planning Group, where she volunteered for several years on this project. She has long imagined an aspirational public use for the Finch West LRT land, believing the space should be accessible for everyone. Today, as the membership manager with the Toronto Community Benefits Network, she sees potential in the land under contention.
“It could still be great. This neighbourhood should have what every other neighbourhood has: communal space, a public pool, adequate child care, a community kitchen, social enterprise and way-finding space, especially for young people. Ask yourself this, where is the nearest outdoor skating rink?”
The year 2020 requires a breakthrough in how we approach our public infrastructure and how communities of colour especially are impacted by the decisions made by both public and arms-length publicly funded institutions.
Tiffany Ford, a longtime Toronto civic advocate and resident of the affected area, believes more transparency is needed.
“We should have exactly what we thought we would have, which is adequate community space along Finch. For many years, local residents have pushed back on development that does not serve the purpose of the community. If Metrolinx wasn’t planning to follow through, and always planned to sell the land at market value, why did they waste our time?”
Metrolinx can still ensure the advancement of community space by honouring the intended plans and transferring the land to the City of Toronto as has been expected for years.
This should not be an issue fought on a case-by-case basis. When local communities are thoughtfully engaged and empowered in large infrastructure projects during planning phases, they can serve as powerful catalysts to mitigate negative impacts and work toward visionary improvements to their neighbourhoods.
In the words of Tiffany Ford, “It’s not just a community hub. It’s a gamechanger.”
The provincial land may be worth millions in the short term, but you can’t put a price on building back broken community trust. This is a community that deserves our best, not our bare minimum.