TORONTO
STAR - Wed October 1, 2003
Group
fights changes to streetcar line
St. Clair car to get dedicated lane
Residents want to be part of process
KEVIN
MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER
The TTC is trying to ram through a dedicated streetcar line along
St. Clair Ave. W. without following proper procedures, says a
group of area residents and business owners.
"We're
frustrated with the process," Connie Lamanna, co-chair of the
St. Clair West Revitalization Committee, said in an interview
yesterday. "We were promised to have a voice at the table.
We were promised there would be public meetings held and announced
with plenty of time to prepare or to let people know what was
happening and we just haven't had a response," Lamanna said.
Lamanna, who's opposed to the idea of dedicated streetcar lanes,
and committee co-chair Jeff Gillan issued a news release yesterday
"questioning the integrity of the whole process."
They
accuse TTC chairman Howard Moscoe of a bias in favour of the streetcar
line that compromises the environmental assessment underway to
the point that it is a "done deal."
Moscoe defended his biases. "I'm a politician, I'm supposed to
have biases. In fact, I'm elected because I have biases," he said.
"I'm all in favour of putting streetcars on exclusive right-of-ways
because I know that works for transit."
But he added that his bias "won't compromise the environmental
assessment." He also promised public meetings would begin in October.
Lamanna, owner of Ontario Fashion Textiles on St. Clair near Lansdowne
Ave., said she opposes the idea of a streetcar-only lane such
as the ones along Spadina Ave. and Queens Quay.
"As a business person and as a resident of St. Clair, we think
the right of way will cut off the street," Lamanna said. "But
whatever the process is, we want to make sure it is transparent
and open and we want everybody to be heard."
Moscoe said local opposition to the Spadina streetcar right-of-way
slowed that implementation by three years. He said he hoped businesses
along St. Clair learned from those along Spadina because the streetcar
line there "seems to be working quite well, despite the brouhaha."
Streetcar-only lanes, using curbs to keep out cars, as on Spadina
Ave., would shave five minutes off the current 32-minute ride
between Yonge and Keele Sts., TTC officials say.
The downside is greater frustration for motorists along the key
midtown east-west route, which currently carries 30,000 vehicles
a day. Concept drawings show St. Clair down to one traffic lane
in each direction with street parking maintained.
