Site will provide additional parking for Rouge Hill station

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A parcel of land next to the Port Union Village Common Park originally slated for townhouse redevelopment could become a commuter parking lot for the Rouge Hill GO station, now that GO Transit's board has agreed to pursue a purchase of the land.

Local Ward 44 (Scarborough East) Councillor Ron Moeser said the Friday vote at the GO Board to approve in principle the acquisition of the 2.3 acres of land at the foot of Port Union Road will make things easier for commuters and more agreeable for nearby residents.

"The prime issue is this - at 8:30 there's no more parking spots at the GO station," said Moeser. "GO's ridership is up 7.5 per cent, so they need these facilities."

The land is near but not adjacent to the Rouge Hill station, separated by a stretch of parkland. Earlier this year, Moeser pushed Council to request that GO acquire the land from Eden Oaks, the developer who owns the land.

In 2007, Eden Oaks had brought forward an application for a townhouse development that met with opposition in the community.

Moeser initially tried to convince the city to acquire the land for parkland, but city parks staff said the land wasn't necessary or suitable.

Any purchase must still be negotiated through GO staff.