Controversial Thornhill condo project considered at Vaughan council tonight
Islamic proposal concerns some residents

Thornhill Liberal
February 4, 2014
By Tim Kelly

The national director of the Jewish Defence League says a proposal to place a multi-condo development in North Thornhill will “encourage the spread of radical Islam”.

And Meir Weinstein said he’ll be at Vaughan City Hall tonight as part of an expected large crowd opposed to the application for the development.

The proposal from Islamic Shia Ithna-Asheri Jamaat of Toronto, at 9000 Bathurst St. between Rutherford Road and Hwy. 7, includes one 17-storey, 205-unit residence with retail space along with another 17-storey seniors residence with 100 assisted living units (132 beds) and 61 three-storey common element condo townhouses.

Mr. Weinstein, national director of the Toronto-based JDL which he said “monitors groups that are involved with radical Islam,” said he has concerns about the developers behind the residences, who he said want a “Muslim-only” community.

An online petition of more than 3,000 Thornhill residents includes concerns about numerous issues with the development including that the plan has problems with: traffic congestion, overcrowding and safety, parking, environmental concerns, quality of life and that the plan is incompatible with a low-rise community.

Comments on various media websites suggest some residents would be less than willing to accommodate an influx of Muslim residents.

In a press release, Shabbir Jeraj, president of the Islamic Shia Ithna Ahseri Jamaat of Toronto, said he welcomes the opportunity to present the project to Vaughan council.

"This project is very important to us because it is a realization of a long-awaited dream and the vision of the members of the community, many of whom initially participated in the purchase of this property some 20 years ago" said Mr. Jeraj.

“While we are still in the planning phase, our intention is to design the development with the broader community in mind.  As such, we envision that many parts of the development will be open to all residents of Vaughan and the surrounding areas, including the playing fields and tennis courts”.

The Islamic Shia Ahseri Jamaat of Toronto said it is a community 5,000 strong with the majority of its membership residing in Vaughan, Markham (Thornhill) and Richmond Hill. The community has a long track record of excellent neighbourliness and interfaith work. At its previous facility on Bayview Avenue in Thornhill, it was the proud joint recipient of the Harmony Award with its neighbour, the Temple Har Zion.

Candidates running in the Feb. 13 Thornhill provincial byelection refused to be drawn into the controversy, preferring to see the issue as strictly a planning decision.

Progressive Conservative candidate Gila Martow said she will not be in attendance this evening, saying “it would not be appropriate since I’m running” for MPP.

She called the comments by Mr. Weinstein, “very unfortunate. That’s going to fan the flames.”

But she believed it was up to Liberal candidate Sandra Yeung Racco, in her role as Ward 4 North Thornhill-Concord Councillor for the City of Vaughan, to deal proactively with a controversy in the ward over the development by communicating in advance with residents.

“I don’t understand why the residents feel that their voices aren’t being heard. (They’re) quite angry and upset; (I would) hope that the local council representative would have been addressing their concerns and informing them of this development. Some of them seem quite surprised to hear of this, they’re upset that they’re on email lists and why weren’t they informed,” she said.

Ms Martow said” “I’m not opposed to any development where the infrastructure is in place and where it’s good for the community. What I’d like to stay is a friendly neighbour in terms of noise and congestion and smells and pollution and everything we have to consider when we say what a good neighbour is.”

Ms Racco, who will be at the council table tonight – she stopped receiving her council pay when the byelection writ was dropped Jan. 15, but has continued to sit as a councillor – said she is dealing with the development entirely on its merits.

“This is like any other application that’s coming forward. We’ll have the applicant present the proposal and then we will listen to people who are either for or against this application and again we will be concentrating really, on the planning aspects. I want to hear impacts such as should there be traffic impact, parking impact, density, shadowing, whatever, those type of planning aspects, that’s what I’d like to hear.”

“When it comes to their own homes, people will become very emotional. I’m hoping that they will be more focused on the planning and I’ve said that all along. I’ve said that at the community meeting that they had last week that I attended, I said the same thing — we need to be focused on the planning issue and that’s the only issue and this is where we are at. They (developers) need to be able to satisfy a lot of different things before we move forward.”

She said she will not comment on any ethnic divisions going on in the battle over the development.

“Absolutely not, you know that I never do and I never will. This is all about the proper planning and what is going to come into the location.”

NDP candidate Cindy Hackelberg did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.

The meeting at Vaughan City Hall Council Chambers, 2141 Major Mackenzie Dr., Vaughan takes place at 7 p.m.