The City of Toronto and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) are locked in a battle against a proposed major development in Flemingdon Park. The contentious project aims to replace the Flemingdon Park Golf Club with four towering condo buildings and a sprawling park.
Situated near Eglinton Avenue and the Don Valley Parkway, the development plan includes four residential towers ranging from 42 to 56 storeys high, totaling around 2,200 units. Additionally, a public park comparable in size to Trinity-Bellwoods Park is slated to be part of the project.
However, the TRCA has raised concerns about the proposed location, citing the land as hazardous due to its position at the base of several slopes and within a ravine. Advocates like Floyd Ruskin argue that building in this sensitive area contradicts decades of conservation efforts and poses potential risks, as identified by the TRCA.
Despite objections, the Ontario Land Tribunal ruled in favor of the developer earlier this year. The TRCA emphasized their reservations about intensified development below ravine banks, expressing worries about access for residents and emergency services during slope erosion incidents.
The development team, comprised of Cityzen, Greybrook, and Tercot Communities, maintains that the construction site is safe and that the condos would occupy only a small portion of the expansive 40-acre property. The majority of the land would be transformed into a substantial park, gifted to the city as a gesture akin to the historic transfer of High Park.
Critics, including conservationists, remain skeptical of the project’s impact on the environment and fear that it could set a precedent for similar developments across the city. They express concerns about the potential commercialization of ravine slopes, leading to more high-rise buildings encroaching on green spaces like golf courses.
Amidst ongoing debates, city council has decided to appeal the tribunal’s ruling at a Divisional Court, prolonging the dispute over the fate of Flemingdon Park.