Backlash intensifies over taller Sobeys plaza project in Thornhill

‘Sobeys plaza is as important to Jewish community as Little Italy is to Italians’

Yorkregion.com
May 12, 2016
By Simone Jospeh

Controversial development plans for Sobeys plaza in Thornhill near Clark and Hilda avenues will be discussed at a City of Vaughan public hearing June 21.

In November 2015, RioCan presented its plan to develop the plaza, formally known as SpringFarm Marketplace, at a packed residents meeting at Garnet A. Williams Community Centre. At that point, the plan included building an 18-storey condo with retail and a stacked townhouse block.

RioCan said it wanted to create an upgraded, walkable shopping community.

Since then, two additional storeys have been added to the plan and residents have been contacting Thornhill Councillor Alan Shefman daily, asking what is happening with the project and saying they are not in favour of it, he said.

Pam Taraday-Levy, president of the SpringFarm Ratepayers Association, hopes RioCan begins to listen to residents’ suggestions.

Next month’s hearing will likely begin with a presentation by the developer, Shefman said. Then, residents will have a chance to give five-minute public deputations. A report with staff recommendations will later go to council, Shefman said, predicting Vaughan council will discuss the issue in November or December.

Shefman plans to vote against the developer’s application.

“I would trust my colleagues to follow my lead and see this is not an appropriate project for this situation,” Shefman said.

RioCan has likely taken its project to the Ontario Municipal Board, because the proposed height of the condo building exceeds the height allowed in the city’s official plan designation, Shefman said. The official plan allows for between four and six storeys, while the developer wants the building to be 20 storeys tall, according to Shefman.

A continuing problem is the traffic circulation issue, Shefman said. He is not concerned about an increase in traffic, but rather about cars having access to the plaza. Having just one entrance off of Clark Avenue and losing the Hilda Street entrance will not be a positive change.  “That’s chaos,” he said.

The best-case scenario, says Taraday-Levy, would be if RioCan began to pay attention to residents. She hopes the city supports the ratepayers association in its effort to highlight concerns, as well as the official plan and city bylaws.

The plaza includes a kosher Sobeys, kosher Second Cup, kosher restaurants and an Israel’s The Judaica Centre as well as a Shoppers Drug Mart and a drycleaner.

“The Sobeys plaza is as important to the Jewish community as Little Italy is to the Italians,” Taraday-Levy said. “What they are talking about is tearing that plaza apart.”

When the ratepayers association first met with RioCan, developer representatives said they were eager to hear from and listen to residents.

“That’s not proven to be the case,” Taraday-Levy said.

Residents are angry, she said.

“I’ve heard from people (saying) if you do all this, what kosher stores can we go to? Where else can I go?”

The worst-case scenario would be if RioCan proceeds with its plan, she said, bringing up to 600 more residents with the condo.

“I hope they don’t dig their heels in to prove they can do whatever they want. The community is not against some intensification,” Taraday-Levy said.

SpringFarm Ratepayers Association has circulated a petition to stop RioCan’s proposed development.

RioCan is a real estate investment trust company. It has said that it intends to keep Sobeys and perhaps other commercial businesses in the redesign of the plaza. Sobeys has a lease until 2030.

WANT MORE?

RioCan - visit riocan.com
Councillor Alan Shefman - @AlanShefman (twitter) or email alan.shefman@vaughan.ca
SpringFarm Ratepayers association - springfarmra@gmail.com
Petition - Go to change.org and type in RioCan and Sobeys.

OPINIONS SOUGHT

Vaughan wants residents’ feedback on how to govern low-rise residential neighbourhoods. A copy of the proposed Official Plan Amendments and Draft General Infill Guidelines are available at http://goo.gl/Zvr9BK

If you would like to provide comments, send them via mail or email, no later than May 31 to: Kyle Fearon (policy planning & environmental sustainability) at 2141 Major Mackenzie Dr., Vaughan, Ont., L6A 1T1 or e-mail kyle.fearon@vaughan.ca.