Parkway Forest News

Refusal on one week and Groudbreaking the next. Read all the way to the bottom of this update to Parkway Forest Email Group. At the bottom you will find the details to the Let's Build Ceremony and You are all invited! Good thing politicians don't glide around in Limos anymore because parked end to end on Monday morning they would fill all of Forest Manor Road.

Hello All,

By now you may have read the newspaper coverage of the Parkway Forest application refusal. The North Community Councillors voted unanimously (complete with colourful comments!) against.

Just to let you know the next steps:

The developer has two options at this point. They may take the ten building application on to the Ontario Municipal Board and ask for approval there having got none from North City Councillors. City Planning staff have written a rare refusal report because they feel their refusal position is quite defensible in this unusually large application. If an OMB hearing date is granted, I will begin the process of organizing a Parkway forest Residents Association. We can prepare for the opposition case within such an association as well as benefit the community with neighborhood organizing around a number of issues.

However, we have included in the recommendations at North Community Council a far less confrontational option. The developer may agree to withdraw the current plan and enter into a year long Working Group Process with the Community, City Planners and Myself to determine what would be acceptable redevelopment in Parkway Forest. City Planning staff have already assured the developer that if they would consider this option, they could then submit the results of the community process as a revised application.

As soon as we know the Developer's direction, my staff will be in touch. Either way my staff and I will be busy in Parkway Forest this year.
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Also, if you are home on Monday, please come and join us up at 121 Parkway Forest Drive. The other new building that we described at the tenant meeting will be having its official ground-breaking. Because this is such an exciting new affordable housing option there will be many dignitaries. All of your local representatives, Hon.Min. David Caplan, your M.P.P. and Yasmin Ratansi, your Federal M.P. and myself will be there. But we will also be joined by Mayor David Miller, Deputy Mayor Mike Feldman, Council's Housing Advocate as well as Federal Minister, Joe Volpe.

Most of all, I want you to meet your new neighbor in the form of Verdiroc, the private sector developer contributing to this multi-gov't funded 'Let's Build' project. They are quite committed to making a positive contribution to Parkway Forest and building a great new community right inside this new residence. Come on over at 10:00 a.m. to hear more about it and have a few refreshments afterwards. Cross your fingers for good weather!