flonicky
Senior Member
And they're not just adding a park, it's a step towards completing a park corridor ... in an area with a relatively limited amount of parkland!
I bet most of the people who signed the petition A) own homes, and B) don't live in the area and just don't want to give up cheap parking.I hate to link to BlogTO, but this is so ridiculous I couldn't let it go:
![]()
Toronto neighbourhood fighting back against plan to turn parking lot into park
Though Toronto may have been designed with cars in mind, the City has been re-assessing its road infrastructure in recent years, adding dozens of k...www.blogto.com
"Save our parking / preserve our community"
A friend who sent this to me pointed out that they're doing a reverse Big Yellow Taxi.
Not Toronto, but just down the QEW.
A Hamilton city council committee voted against affordable housing on a parking lot. One of the "No" votes was from city councillor Ted McMeekin, the former Ontario Liberal Minister of Housing (!).
View attachment 542468
![]()
Hamilton committee chooses parking lots over affordable housing in Stoney Creek - INthehammer | Local Online News
At stake is two city-owned parking lots comprising just over an acre in Stoney Creek. What to do with them sparked a lengthy and somewhat testy debate at Hamilton’s General Issues Committee Wednesday, with the vote to sell off the lots to make way for affordable housing losing by an 8-8 tie...www.inthehammer.com
Some notes on the above:
1) This lost on an 8-8 tie.
2) This still goes to Council next week, so its not a done deal just yet.
3) There was a submitted petition to 'save' the parking........that gathered a whopping 1,300+ signatures, the Chamber of Commerce also came out against housing here.
4) It appears several other sites did get declared surplus and those are projected to result in 150 affordable units.
5) What could go here (conceptually):
View attachment 542497
****
I'm not clear on what the argument really is for retaining the parking, when you do manage to get 1,300 signatures, there is a suggestion that there is demand...........
Of course, the parking, is apparently free.
While I hope this is reversed; in the alternative, I hope Hamilton moves to charge for the parking, which may reduce demand/enthusiasm for same.
Free parking also creates the problem that there is no way to justify putting any underground for legitimate demand when its free.
Andrea is thinking of using her ‘Strong MAyer’s’ powers to overturn this decision. If so, score one for Doug Ford.
Update: Final decision at council loses on an 8-8 tie. The parking lot prevails.
CBC Hamilton: Stoney Creek parking spots triumph over affordable housing after final council vote
Update: Final decision at council loses on an 8-8 tie. The parking lot prevails.
CBC Hamilton: Stoney Creek parking spots triumph over affordable housing after final council vote
That depends - is this issue causing uproar across the wider city, or is it confined to a small neighbourhood NIMBY group?This one passed on Wednesday using the above noted Strong Mayor Powers: (8 to 8 vote)
![]()
‘It’s going to take us all’: Mayor’s veto advances affordable housing plan in Stoney Creek
But opponents of Stoney Creek project call Horwath’s move ‘undemocratic’www.thestar.com
From the above:
View attachment 559374
***
Lots of inflammatory rhetoric from opponents using terms like undemocratic and authoritarian.
View attachment 559375
And
View attachment 559376
****
I support this project and found the Nimbyism here off putting.
That said, I do think the essential principle of democracy matters (the inflated hyperbole above being far too much).
Its always a concern of mine that when things are 'forced' on people, you trigger a reaction. This one development isn't likely to cause that measure of blowback, but there is a need to tread lightly
or perhaps a Mayor politically opposite to Horvath will be elected in 2026.
At which point this project and others could be spiked using the same powers.
I don't oppose the use of the Mayor's powers here, and to be clear 50% of Council voted for this; so its not as if there was a clear majority opposed; but I always want to be mindful that one step forward should not lead to
two steps backwards.
I wonder how much existing affordable, subsidized or emergency housing is nearby. It might be a case of the locals pushing back against a new social housing project when their neighbourhood is already over represented in the category. I know where I live if you drew a 5 km circle you’d likely find close to half of Toronto’s emergency shelters and RGI housing. I’m all for housing all Canadians ansd PRs, but we all need to do our share. Maybe you’re right and it’s just nimby obstructionists, but there may be more to the onion.I bet most of the people who signed the petition A) own homes, and B) don't live in the area and just don't want to give up cheap parking.
It appears to be in a Hydro Corridor - does some lefty want to build a bike or walking path?What are they building there? I don't see an entry on the map.
What are they building there? I don't see an entry on the map.
It appears to be in a Hydro Corridor - does some lefty want to build a bike or walking path?
This is truly one for the ages.