The Save the Matador website as well as the Facebook group are encouraging people to attend the Toronto Parking Authority meeting at city hall tomorrow to show support for the no-brainer buildings-not-parking-lots sentiment that was sparked by the recent move by the city to buy it up and tear it down for 20 parking spots. It’s unclear if the Matador is on the agenda — email the Save the Matador folks for details — but it’s likely the TPA deserves some additional public scrutiny regardless. They’ve certainly got our attention now.
When: October 16th, 4pm
Where: Committee Room B, City Hall
Photo by Jason Michael
8 comments
How much $$ in sales taxes do you figure the owner of the matador has avoided paying over the last few decades?
I’m thinking we get the guy from the Matador to sell mickies of Jack out of his duffel bag at the door to the Committee Room.
blarg> er, I would guess it was the “independent contractors” who avoided the taxes.
Yet again, a seemingly perfectly sound building could be trashed for little reason. Despite the climate crisis that means we should see every smashed building as an urban oil spill, like 48Abell, like the half-round, like 590 Jarvis, our “leaders” are stepping on the gas.
I don’t think a parking lot falls under the category of something providing reasonable “social value”. That being said, I’ve never heard of this place before this posting and I certainly won’t miss it when it’s gone.
Chris, I had not heard of Fort York before I came to Toronto, but I’m glad somebody saved it before my time even if it had nothing to do with it or the war of 1812. My missing or not missing it isn’t the point here, I suppose. Why did I vote for Giambrone… is the question I keep asking myself. Why did I trust?
This has got me thinking and here is my suggestion:
The city should either sell the TPA lots for development or sell the air rights (i.e. allow a condo or mixed use or commercial building to be built on a TPA lot but have it include a parkade, possibly underground, which the city would still own and operate. This would be consistent with the city’s densification policy.
The TPA has lots in very prime locations, often very close to TTC stations. That big lot just south of Wellesley station is one, isn’t it? It’s a shame to have them sit there when the city could be taking advantage of the hot market.
While it would be preferable from us purists’ point of view not to have parking, this is a good compromise. Oh, and any parkade component would have to be built with a view to future conversion – i.e. no slanty floors or too-low ceilings.
As for the Matador – the city/TPA shouldn’t be expanding the amount of parking lots but a new building with built-in parking wouldn’t be too horrible.
It is fairly clear that the Councillor and Mayor will raze the Matador, have a parking lot for a brief period, and then flip the property for a huge profit. Are these the NDP we thought represented the will of the people with integrity?