Re: 'City to try to retain seniors' centre parking lot,' Article, March 11.
To the editor:The residents of this neighbourhood are under serious threat of being deprived of much needed and used designated greenspace.The provincially mandated disposal of this land is creating serious bureaucratic ramifications. The city purchased the (Fairfield) Senior's Centre after the school closed some 30 years ago, but apparently not the parking area, driveways and the remainder of the grounds (four acres in total).The city has now agreed to purchase 1.25 acres of it comprising the parking area and the north driveway only and claims it does not have the necessary funds to purchase the remaining 2.75 acres of designated greenspace at market value. This valuable grassed space has been enjoyed by the children of the area for soccer and baseball practices and other activities and has been maintained municipally before and after amalgamation. If the city cannot find an acceptable piece of land in exchange, this much needed parkland will go to the highest bidder. If the city does not agree to a required zoning change at this point, it will be challenged in front of the OMB, another provincial body. We, the residents, seem to be caught in a Catch 22 situation. Taxpayers funded this land originally and assumed it was city property for the past 30 years. To have to pay for it once again seems beyond reason. Here's hoping there is some sanity left at the executive level of the province, the TDSB and the city to bring this to a satisfactory conclusion. In an established urban area, green space can never be replaced.Klaas Vangraft