Toronto to demolish crumbling abandoned buildings for new park

The City of Toronto plans to tear down a pair of derelict buildings that have sat abandoned for years, and intends to transform the site near Bathurst and St. Clair into a new public park.

Abandoned properties at 78-84 Vaughan Rd. could soon be razed following the City's purchase of the site, destined to become a new public space on a rapidly-evolving stretch of this thoroughfare.

The properties in question have sat abandoned for years, and have deteriorated at an increasing rate since a major fire ripped through the block in 2020.

The site was previously considered as a residential redevelopment site, and was even shopped around in 2020 with a price tag of $6,675,000 and attached concept plans of the planned development to help attract buyers. However, the site failed to generate interest, resulting in the price dropping to under $5.2 million.

Cushman & Wakefield

City of Toronto representative Simon Larson tells blogTO that the park was purchased for $4.7 million, explaining that "Investing in our communities and creating new parks and open spaces helps to create a sense of belonging for all, which is why the City of Toronto recently purchased the properties at 78-84 Vaughan Rd. for parkland."

That sale price is almost two million bucks cheaper than the property was listed for just six years earlier.

According to Larson, the new park aims to address a shortage of public spaces in this pocket of the city.

"The surrounding area has low parkland provision, and this acquisition supports the implementation of the Council-approved Parkland Strategy and the Oakwood-St Clair Parks Plan."

Larson states that the planned public space is part of a budget that will be presented for consideration before City Council in February, and the following steps will involve community consultation to help shape the park's design.

A City report on the land purchase adds that the public space "will also have the potential to serve the immediate community through programming the park with new facilities which serve gaps in the area. Specific park programming opportunities will be determined through further analysis including community consultation."