Toronto councillor wants to suspend closures of commuter parking lots in suburbs

CTVnews.ca
Sept. 26, 2017
By Rachael D'Amore

A Toronto councillor is calling on the city to suspend the closures of commuter parking lots while they work gather more feedback on the needs of commuters coming from the inner suburbs.

Coun. James Pasternak is expected to bring the motion to the city's executive committee meeting on Tuesday.

Pasternak says the city is facing a parking "crisis" and commuters along the yet-to-be-completed Toronto-York-Spadina subway extension are slated to be the hardest hit.

According to a staff report on commuter parking options on the future subway extension, people who commute from Yorkdale, Wilson or Downsview stations will lose all but 72 of approximately 3900 parking spots by 2026.

About 3400 spots are scheduled to open up along the 8.6 kilometre subway extension later this year - along Highway 407, Finch West, Steeles West and Vaughan Metropolitan Station - but Pasternak says the reshuffling of commuter parking lots will harm the TTC's "most loyal" customers.

Despite this, a net loss of about 500 parking spaces is likely.

"Well they are adding more spots further up the line but the people who are currently using the Wilson and Downsview parking lots are not going to drive up to Finch and Steeles and Vaughan's city centre to park only to take the subway back down," he told CTV News Toronto ahead of Tuesday's meeting.

"Sure, for a period of time there will be more spaces, but it's a moving target, it's changing all the time. They may open a few more stations up at Vaughan or Steeles, but that's no value to the people living in the Downsview area."

Along with proposing a moratorium, Pasternak said he wants the executive committee to agree to asking the federal government for more federal lands, particularly at Downsview Station.

"Remember, that's also a GO Station," he said. "It's going to be a transit hub and there are no commuter parking spaces planned as of now. We want to add spots."

He also raised concerns about the city's commuter parking lease at Yorkdale Shopping Centre.

If the lease agreement isn't extended, Pasternak says more than 1100 commuter parking spots could be lost.

"Downtown decision makers need to understand that inner suburban commuting to downtown is different, it involves usually the kids being dropped off at school, a spouse being dropped off at work and the parking at the station," he said. "That has been interrupted by these old decisions that frankly are out of touch with today's reality."

Commuters at Wilson Station this morning told CTV News Toronto that it's already hard enough to find a parking spot as the lots stand now.

"I usually come early, around 7:30 a.m., but today I was late and the parking is full and I have nowhere to go," one woman said.

"When school went back and summer vacation is over, it's been a nightmare," said another.

"If you don't get here by 8, or 5 after you're not getting a spot."