The most beautiful trees in downtown Toronto are about to be cut down for a subway
Metrolinx has announced its intent to cut down five mature trees at Osgoode Hall as soon as next month to make way for the Ontario Line Osgoode Station.
The historic trees are located near the iron fence around the Osgoode Hall property at Queen and University.
#TorontoNews #Metrolinx - It maybe that to "Used-Car-Saleman" @fordnation and his "Partners in Crime" #Metrolinx the trees at the Heritage Osgoode Hall property are "Just Trees", BUT to us Torontonians these Trees are part of our #TorontoHeritage & part of our #TorontoHistory‼️ pic.twitter.com/8Byz8nPyFF
— The Torontonian 🇨🇦 🇺🇦🏒🌼 (@Toronto_nian) November 23, 2022
Metrolinx told CP24 that the trees would need to be cut down in order to accommodate the archaeological assessment of the property, which needs to be conducted before work officially begins on the multibillion dollar Ontario Line.
Metrolinx shared the news in a draft notice with the Law Society of Ontario, which stated that the removal of the trees could take place as soon as Dec.5, although that date remains tentative.
The Law Society of Ontario revealed in a statement that, "Metrolinx has indicated that it plans to remove five trees on the property, which would cause irreversible damage to the grounds and the historic urban forest - all of which have been carefully preserved in the heart of the city for more than 200 years."
Metrolinx previously stated that it would pause on cutting down the trees until the completion of an independent design review.
Another example of Metrolinx deviousness was during the consultation round for the downtown segment of the OL. They skipped right over Osgoode even tho it was listed in the meeting notice and probably didn't want a debate about the park.
— Steve Munro (@SwanBoatSteve) November 23, 2022
In a statement provided to CP24, Metrolinx announced that their plans include a community meeting that will be hosted in the coming weeks to provide updates on the Ontario Line Osgoode Station.
Check out this 🔥 letter from @CampbellHouseTO to @Metrolinx concerning their unilateral and premature removal of trees at Osgoode Hall. Why are they damaging this heritage property before the review? @LawSocietyLSO @LSOTreasurer @TLAvoice @OBAlawyers @douglasdowney @JohnTory pic.twitter.com/mrw0gCoygt
— Douglas W. Judson 🇨🇦 (@dwjudson) November 22, 2022
The Ontario Line will be a 15.6 kilometre, 30-minute end-to-end, 15-stop subway line that will run from Exhibition Place, through the downtown core, and all the way to the Ontario Science Centre.
Metrolinx says the line will help "give people major relief from crowding on the Line 1 subway and other busy transit lines across the city thanks to connections with dozens of other travel options along the way, from regional GO trains, to existing subways, to new light rail transit lines, and more."
