Candidates meet with Strathmore Boulevard residents.
Mayoral candidate George Smitherman,centre, meets with Danny Calia, left, and his wife Grace at their Strathmore Boulevard home on Monday. The Toronto Transit Commission has plans in the works to expropriate the building at 247 Strathmore Blvd., along with three other addresses on the street, to make room for additional subway station exits.
Staff photo/ERIC HEINO
Underneath Strathmore Blvd, lies the Donlands subway platform and signs stating that the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) listens to it's customers. Mayoral candidate George Smitherman recently met with Grace and Danny Calia, who are hoping the TTC will hear pleas not to demolish their house on 247 Strathmore Blvd. in order to make room for an emergency subway exit.
On Monday morning, July 12, Smitherman arrived along with Ward 29 (Toronto-Danforth) city council candidate Jane Pitfield to show support for a community which wants be seen as more than just erasable boxes on a property map.
"The TTC needs to back off, take the time to get it right and make a plan," said Smitherman.
"The TTC says they are listening, but I don't see that on Strathmore."
The residents of 1, 3, 2457 and 247 Strathmore received unaddressed letters on June 17 explaining the need for additional subway exits and that they attended a public meeting on June 29 held by the TTC. When 72-year-old Grace took a look at a rendering of the proposed plan, she was shocked to see that her home of 51 years had been wiped off the map.
"I want to stay here. I raised my children and grandchildren here, I walk to do my shopping form here...all my life is run from right here," said Grace. "I don't know where we would move to. I don't know what will happen."
Adding a touch of irony to the situation is that the TTC actually helped pay the mortgage on the Calia residence. Two members of the family have spent most of their working lives with the TTC. Between Danny and his son George, there is a total of 63 years of employment with the TTC.
Smitherman said he is in favour of expanding transit and realizes the need for additional exits for Donlands and Greenwood stations, but he doesn't see why a project that will "disrupt the community feel of the street" and use heavy handed expropriation tactics is being rushed ahead without more consultation in the community.
He said the TTC has known of the need for these exits for about eight years, but only let the community know in June. If the TTC and city council support the current plan, the money for expropriation could be available as early as August.
The TTC is holding a second public meeting at 7 p.m. on July 12 at Danforth Collegiate and Technical Institute, 800 Greenwood Ave.
The community plans to speak loudly and desperately hopes someone will listen.