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NEWS
metronews.ca Thursday, September 26, 2013
Project a ‘fiasco’: Councillor Brampton. Coun. John Sprovieri questions builder’s explanation for long delay, extra costs A Brampton councillor is calling the city’s controversial $500-million downtown redevelopment project — now facing a major delay — a “fiasco.” During Wednesday’s council meeting, Coun. John Sprovieri suggested a picture of an Italian wine jug should be painted on the wall of the main building under construction, pointing out that in Italian such a jug is called a “fiasco.” He said it would aptly represent how the project has been handled. The original occupancy date
for the building, which will house city workers, was January 2014. But staff won’t be able to move in until at least June. Developer Dominus Construction has claimed the main reason for the postponed completion is an elevator technicians’ strike that idled about 500 workers across Ontario for two months, but ended in June. Sprovieri is skeptical of that explanation, saying that at the time of the strike the building, which is part of the city hall expansion downtown, was barely rising above ground level and wasn’t even close to being ready for elevator installation. “The contract with the developer says they are not responsible for (cost) overruns if it’s because of a strike or an act of God,” Sprovieri said. torstar news service
Danforth Tech offers munch with math; test scores energized Teacher Rachael Cranswick, from left, student Kaelen Hoyland, 15, teacher Ivanka Slywynska and principal Denise Martins at Danforth Tech school on Wednesday. Despite overall scores in the Toronto District School Board being down in the latest provincial testing, at Danforth Tech they went up 7 per cent. The school credits its after-school math club that offered food to get kids to come out and get help. David Cooper/torstar news service
TTC gives tepid approval to Scarborough subway plan
TTC CEO Andy Byford and TTC Chair Karen Stintz. TARA WALTON/torstar news service
In a narrow 6-4 vote, the TTC board has adopted the findings of a TTC report that says the three-stop subway approved by city council is the best option for replacing the aging Scarborough RT. The report says the province’s plan for a shorter subway that would run above ground only as far as the Scarborough City Centre has some serious drawbacks, including exposure to the weather and the need to shut down the SRT during con-
Cash
$660M
The province has committed $1.48 billion, and on Monday, the federal government offered $660 million toward the Scarborough subway, estimated to cost $3 billion.
struction. The board’s tepid endorsement of the report showed just how complex Toronto’s politically charged transit file has become.
Some TTC board members said they wouldn’t vote to endorse the plan because the TTC’s preliminary analysis of the two routes didn’t give them enough information. Coun. John Parker, who continues to support an LRT to replace the SRT, said he expects council will, nevertheless, confirm its preference for the underground subway when it meets next month. Even TTC CEO Andy By-
ford, when pressed by a reporter, acknowledged that a downtown relief line should be the city’s priority, to take some of the pressure off the overcrowded Yonge subway. “It’s not as simple as an either/or,” he said. “If I had to pick one I would choose the downtown relief line. But I don’t think it’s a perfect choice because the timings aren’t exactly the same and because you’ve still got to replace the SRT.” torstar news service