Coalition continues to protest against diesel trains.
Members of the Clean Train Coalition gathered outside of the Central YMCA on Jan. 26, where a Metrolinx Board meeting was being held inside, to protest against diesel trains. They then marched to the Ontario Liberal Party, Central Party Headquarters on St. Mary Street near Yonge Street, to direct their protest at Premier Dalton McGuinty. The Metrolinx Board is expected to make a decision on purchasing trains within weeks.
Staff photo/ERIN HATFIELD
"Do it once, do it right," chanted members of the Clean Train Coalition gathered outside the Central YMCA Jan. 26 where a Metrolinx meeting was being held inside.
Metrolinx is planning to connect Union Station and Pearson International Airport with an air rail link express service, which is scheduled to be ready for the Pan Am Games in 2015.
The line will eventually be electric, but not right away. The plan is to run diesel trains when the line opens.
The Clean Train Coalition insists electric trains are cleaner, quieter and will be less expensive in the long run.
"Not for our neighbourhoods, not for the people who live along the tracks, not for people who have invested along the tracks, not for you, but for them...a few wealthy tourists," said MPP Cheri DiNovo (Parkdale-High Park). "We want trains that serve our community."
In November, the board voted to enter negotiations to purchase up to 18 diesel trains from an American company. The argument for the diesel trains is that it is the only way to ensure the link will be ready in time for the Pan Am Games.
But protesters and Greg Gormick, a transit researcher and coordinator with Clean Train Coalition, said they don't buy that reasoning.
"If we are supposedly a world-class city, then we need a world-class commuter railway," Gormick said. "This is about a legacy...but we want the right legacy, a clean modern efficient one that serves all the people."
York South-Weston Councillor Frances Nunziata said the residents along the track have been fighting against diesel trains for seven years and aren't going to slow down now. The group has gained momentum over the past year in its efforts to convince key stakeholders and government to use electric trains on the Georgetown rail corridor.
"This has been ongoing for a number of years and all of us, including council, have made our position clear to the province," she said. "It is very important that the Clean Train Coalition and all of us take our message to the province that we want electrification now."
The group also marched to the Ontario Liberal Party, central party headquarters on St. Mary Street near Yonge Street, to direct their protest at Premier Dalton McGuinty, who they said ultimately makes the decision on diesel trains.
"We are not interested in buying diesel trains first and then throwing them away and buying electric trains," Mike Sullivan, the co-chair of the Clean Train Coalition. "None of this makes sense and we are not sure what the heck is driving the premier to make this decision and we hope to change his mind."
The Metrolinx board of directors met Jan. 26 to provide recommendations to the Ontario Minister of Transportation. The board of directors unanimously approved a plan that will see the eventual electrification of the new air rail link.
The board is expected to make a decision on purchasing diesel trains within weeks.