Don Mills condo plan rejected by city

Plan for multiple condos and $17 mil rec centre rejected by city
Developer will take case to the Ontario Municipal Board
(Originally written Oct. 2 for Town Crier.)
By Kris Scheuer and Karolyn Coorsh

SIMONE GABBAY of Don Mills Friends called the offer made by Cadillac Fairview a bribe. Photo by Kris Scheuer.

The deal is off the table. 
Cadillac Fairview has withdrawn its offer to build a $17 million community centre after council rejected the developer’s application to build a series of residential condos near Lawrence Ave. East and Don Mills Rd.
The community centre was proposed as an added benefit to phase 2 of Cadillac Fairview’s plan to redevelop the Don Mills Centre. 
The condominium buildings would range from 12-26 storeys, and bring a total of 1,387 units to the neighbourhood. 
Councillors voted 17-16 to reject the settlement offer at council on Oct. 1, also defeating the application itself.
Area councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong ultimately voted against it, saying the residential plans are too dense, an opinion the city planners working on the application shared. 
“I don’t agree that we should look at this as simply getting a community centre,” he said during council debate on the matter. “This is first and foremost a planning application that will define Don Mills for years to come so we need to get it right.”

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Fern school pool saved

Board votes to reopen the elementary school’s aquatic facility
Community, school, volunteers raise revenue to keep pool open
By Kris Scheuer
(Originally written Oct. 1 for Town Crier.)

Fern Elementary School’s pool is now saved and could reopen as soon as Oct. 12. 
It was on a probationary list of 13 facilities to be drained by the end of the year if sufficient permit revenue couldn’t be found. 
But the school and community rallied together to find enough money to convince the Toronto District School Board to keep Fern’s pool afloat. 
On Sept. 16, the school board voted to keep pools open at Fern, Jarvis, Downsview and Queen Alexandra and now just nine pools on the caution list. 
Fern principal Craig Tsuji said they had to cover about $30,000 in costs.
“People are passionate about keeping as much (resources) in their community as possible,” he said. “The Roncesvalles community really likes neighbourhood shopping, neighbourhood school, pool and market.”

East end Toronto pools on list to close

Community, politicians, schools aim to save pools by raising revenue
Monarch Park and Earl Grey among nine pools that could close by Dec. 31
By Kris Scheuer
(Originally written Oct. 8 for Town Crier.)

The Toronto District School Board voted Sept. 16 to save another four pools on the critical list because there was sufficient permit revenue to keep them afloat. This includes the pool at Queen Alexandra Senior Public School. 
Seven pools have closed permanently including at Danforth Tech.
There are nine other facilities left on a probationary list until the end of December. If money is fundraised, permits holders are found then the unlucky nine pools will stay open past this year. 
Pools at Monarch Park CI and Earl Grey PS still in danger of closing if revenues fall short. 
In the case of Monarch, the community has to find donors or permit holders to cover incremental operating costs close to $71,726. And for Earl Grey the amount is $55,940.
Public school trustee Cathy Dandy and city councillor Paula Fletcher held open houses at both schools Oct. 13 and 15 so groups could tour these pools. To find out more contact Dandy at 416-397-3083 or Fletcher at 416-392-4060.