Tory promises to protect health, safety of John Fisher students subject to highrise project

The project, led by developer KG Group, was approved by the Ontario Municipal Board last year despite opposition from the city, local residents and John Fisher Public School parents.

Thestar.com
March 4, 2017
By Andrea Gordon

Mayor John Tory is promising to protect the health and safety of 500 children at John Fisher Public School in the wake of a 35-storey tower slated to be built right next door to their classrooms.

“I will help make sure that (the developer and builders) are held to the highest standard and that the kids, in the end, are kept safe,” Tory told the Star Saturday.

He said the “number one goal” must be accommodating the needs of students, families and the neighbourhood over the needs of “just another condo tower” being erected in the Yonge and Eglinton area, which is already jammed with construction.

The mayor was responding to a Star story about upheaval in the community as a result of the highrise project, which will abut the playground of the century-old French immersion school and leave students and staff facing the prospect of construction chaos for the next few years, or moving to another location.

City officials have said a project of this magnitude on the property line of an elementary school with no setbacks is unprecedented.

The project, on a small lot and led by developer KG Group, was approved by the Ontario Municipal Board last year despite opposition from the city, local residents and John Fisher parents. The Toronto District School Board did not appear at the OMB hearing.

Tory said Saturday he has spoken with Premier Kathleen Wynne - who is MPP for the neighbourhood - and city councillor Jaye Robinson, and the three are committed to finding a solution and addressing the community’s concerns, though he didn’t elaborate on what those solutions might be. The city cannot overturn OMB decisions.

“I don’t know how, when you have a major construction site in such close proximity to the play yard and to the building that houses hundreds of students, that you could be comfortable that all times things were going to be completely safe,” Tory said.