One Toronto neighbourhood is worried about the loss of their local grocery store after construction proposals reveal it will be torn down to make way for the future Gerrard Station along the Ontario Line. 

Situated on the northeast corner of Gerrard and Carlaw, a popular No Frills location sits on the 2.27-hectare site that is proposed to be transformed into a mixed-use transit-oriented community (TOC) by the future Gerrard Station. 

The proposed TOC would "provide greater public access to enhanced parkland and greenspace, increase transit access and connectivity, optimize street connections to improve mobility via a new street connecting Carlaw Avenue and Pape Avenue, and provide new retail and housing units." 

The project's first virtual engagement session took place last week, and one local resident summarized the highlights in a post to the community's Facebook page, which resulted in lots of engaging discourse.

"Just watched the Gerrard Carlaw presentation. Firstly, the timeline is absurd. This TOC site would most likely open closer to 2038-40 or later," the post reads. "When the No Frills closes in 2024 where will the community get groceries for more than a decade?" 

One person said other grocery stores in the area, including Loblaws and a few other independent stores will surely continue serving the community once the No Frills closes its doors. 

"There's still Food Basics in Gerrard Square," another person pointed out. 

Another person said, "I think it looks like a great plan. Exciting. Big changes." 

Although some local residents didn't find much issue with the new station's proposal, others highlighted several issues that might become more serious as construction begins. 

"I get that we need housing both affordable and traditional, but three 30 to 40 story towers looming over a sleepy neighbourhood chockablock with two- and three-storey homes seems a bit much," one person wrote. 

Another person asked, "will the residents of these towers want to live with the disruptive noise from the portal every few minutes? Where is the funding for a new or expanded Matty Eckler Community Centre, where will the children go to school?" 

According to the virtual presentation, construction on the Ontario Line will begin in 2024, while the TOC construction is expected to begin in 2030. 

The proposed plan also includes a ground level retail site and a new grocery store located on the second level.