Naming Names in Fort York Neighbourhood by Gary Miedema
The much anticipated Fort York pedestrian and cycle bridge has been delayed indefinitely because of concerns about its cost. The bridge, two sculptural, inclined arches across a pair of diverging rail corridors, was intended to be a key link in the network of parks following the route of the long-buried Garrison Creek, connecting Trinity Bellwoods Park and Stanley Park to the Garrison Common, and thence to June Callwood Park, Coronation Credit: Aecom with Montgomery and Sisam Park and the Martin Goodman Trail. It would have also provided a pedestrianand cycle-friendly connection between Construction was to have begun this summer, to take advantage the neighbourhoods north of the tracks – the Niagara of a relatively narrow window of opportunity provided by Neighbourhood and Liberty Village – and the growing Metrolinx during the construction of the new Strachan Avenue community south of Fort York Boulevard and the waterfront. overpass of the Georgetown rail corridor. While some have Moreover, it was a key to making more parkland accessible in suggested that the bridge still could be constructed at a later an area identified as being deficient in open space. date, almost certainly it will take a different form and come later than the celebration of the bicentennial. There is unlikely On April 27 the results of the tender call for the construction to be another window of opportunity to construct the bridge of the structure came before the City of Toronto’s Public until 2015 at the earliest. Works and Infrastructure Committee for approval to award a contract to the recommended bidder. Rather than do this, A Facebook and letter-writing campaign initiated by residents the Committee referred the item back to staff to recommend of the neighbourhoods near Fort York suggests that there is a lower cost alternative. A motion to keep the design moving strong community support for the bridge. Staff is expected to forward by bringing the item directly to City Council for report back on a new bridge design sometime in the fall, and it debate at its meeting on May 18 was defeated, leaving the fate is to be hoped that a solution will be found then to allow this of the bridge uncertain. important community link to be built.
