City of Toronto Housing Now project may displace East Scarborough Storefront

Thestar.com
Nov. 26, 2021
Mike Adler

The East Scarborough Storefront, a resource centre rooted in the Kingston-Galloway-Orton Park (KGO) community, may soon be displaced by new housing.

The City of Toronto has proposed a Housing Now site on property containing the building at 4040 Lawrence Ave. E., a home to 35 partner organizations helping people with employment searches and other vital supports.

If The Storefront does move -- something not expected for two or three years -- it’s possible it will return to the property, says executive director Sahar Vermezyari.

Wherever it ultimately goes, Vermezyari is confident KGO residents will be partners in designing housing on the property and a new Storefront.

“We don’t want to speak for them. We want them to be at the table to speak for themselves,” she said.

Founded at the now-vanished Morningside Mall 20 years ago, The Storefront soon moved west into a former Toronto police substation. Holding cells were removed as community members helped redesign the building.

The city still owns the 1.2 acres of land, which includes basketball courts and community gardens, and announced it as a Phase 3 Housing Now site.

Vermezyari, who joined The Storefront in June, said the city has pledged to minimize disruption to services and programs, and community involvement in the process will start with a community meeting early in 2022.

Meanwhile, The Storefront is inviting residents with questions to email them to info@thestorefront.org or call 416-208-9889.

The Storefront grew into a community convener and connector, launching projects based on ideas residents had.

The pandemic closed the building until this July, but partner agencies kept connecting people to services virtually and by phone, said Vermezyari.

“The nature of everyone’s work, including our partners, has shifted,” she added.

“We do a lot of food work right now -- cooking, deliveries to folks who need it.”

Housing Now developments promise a mix of apartments at market rent and others affordable to “essential” workers and geared to households earning between $21,000 and $68,000 a year.

In a blog post to supporters, The Storefront said it understood “this news will bring up a range of emotions in the community” for all who feel connected to the building.

“As an organization, The Storefront supports the creation of more affordable housing in the neighbourhood; we also recognize that The Storefront is a crucial community asset with a continued role to play in the community,” the post said.

The city has proposed another Housing Now site at 40 Bushby Dr., a 1.7-acre property across from McCowan Station on the Scarborough Rapid Transit line, which is scheduled to close in 2023.

A report to Toronto city council said the eastern part of the site may become a public park.

On Nov. 22, council also approved developers for the Housing Now site beside Victoria Park Station at 777 Victoria Park Ave., expected to start construction in summer 2022.

At least 508 apartments, including 254 affordable ones, will be built on the two-acre site, as well as a new child-care centre, retail and community space.

Developers have also been selected for a Housing Now project north of Warden Station at 705 Warden Ave., which will also expand Warden Hilltop Park, re-naturalize land bordering Taylor Massey Creek, create new public streets and include some retail space and a new child-care centre. Construction is slated to begin in fall 2022.