Toronto neighbourhood wants to stop cheap homes so they can keep parking spaces

A Toronto neighbourhood is pushing back against plans to replace a well-used public parking lot in the community with a massive new housing development. 

Residents of Toronto's Fairbank neighbourhood are rallying to save a public parking lot at 9 Shortt St., which sits adjacent to a church and a Dollarama store near Dufferin Street and Eglinton Avenue West.

The City-owned lot, which provides over 100 parking spaces, is set to be transformed into a mixed-income, transit-oriented housing development — a decision, some locals argue, could have a devastating impact on nearby small businesses and community institutions. 

A petition, which has already garnered over 340 signatures as of Monday afternoon, has been launched to push back against the lot's redevelopment. 

"Many small businesses would be forced to close or relocate due to the loss of parking for their clients and customers. Street parking in the surrounding neighbourhood is already extremely limited, and there are no other public parking lots nearby to absorb the demand," the campaign argues. 

"Eliminating these spaces without a viable alternative would cause significant overflow parking on surrounding residential streets, increasing congestion and creating frustration for both residents and business owners." 

The site, which also sits adjacent to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, is proposed to be redeveloped into a complex featuring 458 new homes, including roughly 140 affordable rental units.

The redevelopment will be split into two buildings, one 41-storey residential tower and a six-storey residential standalone building, separated by a proposed mid-block connection.

Photo: CreateTO.

The proposal also includes 12,000 square feet of outdoor amenity space, 10,000 square feet of indoor amenity space, and 5,000 square feet of retail or community use. 

The proposed development does indeed call for parking; however, the 42 car and 421 bicycle parking spaces proposed within this single-level underground garage would be allocated entirely to residents and visitors.

If the redevelopment is approved and completed, the project would add a considerable number of new rental and housing units to the city's Fairbank neighbourhood, although some locals still maintain that the need for more housing shouldn't come at the cost of accessibility or the survival of small businesses in the area.