New Streetcar Maintenance Facility at Leslie Street and Lakeshore Boulevard East Approved by Council – Community Mitigation Package will compensate local Residents
07/20/2010
The familiar TTC Street Car 'Rockets' toward retirement with the coming of the new LRVs.One June 8, 2010 City Council approved a plan for the TTC to use a piece of property at the Ashbridges Bay water treatment plant to build a facility for the storage and maintenance of light rail vehicles. Council directed that the design and landscaping must integrate well with the Leslie Street Spit, Martin Goodman Trail and Lake Shore Boulevard at the site near the intersection of Lake Shore Boulevard and Leslie Street.
The New Light Rail Transit Vehicle Maintenance and Storage Facility is to support the 204 new low floor light rail vehicles that the TTC is acquiring to replace the current fleet of streetcars on the Queen and King Streets.
City Council’s decision was preceded by an extensive community consultation conducted by the TTC and Councillor Fletcher and I over the last few months. During the consultation, concerns of local residents were addressed. There will be a mitigation program for residents along Leslie Street were the feeder line from the LRV Maintenance Facility will connect with Queen Street. Local residents also played a significant role in critiquing three separate presentations involved in the TTC Landscape Design Competition for the lands around the LVR facility.
In addition, I have secured funds of approximately $250,000.00 from the TTC for the loss to our community of the green space at the LRV site that will be used to complete phase two of the new skateboard park.
