Courtesy of yongeeglinton.com

After a two year battle, fought with passion and conviction, the Eglinton Park Residents’ Association has thwarted the attempt of Top of the Tree Developments from rezoning two city blocks in their neighbourhood - Yonge Street to Edith Drive, from Eglinton Avenue West to Roselawn Avenue. Top of the Tree Developments applied to build a 25 storey condo building on the northeast corner of Montgomery and Duplex Aves., northwest of Eglinton Avenue and Yonge Street. There are 100 members in this association which worked tirelessly for two years compiling written submissions and creating a presentation. After a 5 week hearing last March the Ontario Municipal Board finally denied their application.

Many neighbourhoods are facing similar problems, referred to as the “condofication” of Toronto. Putting up massive high rises in residential neighbourhoods causes many problems including increased traffic and overtaxing the existing infrastructure, not to mention changing the entire feel of the neighbourhood. However, Toronto is experience a massive condo boom, with no signs of letting up. Just look up at the skyline and count the cranes. According to developer Alan Vihant, Toronto is the top condo market in North America and one of the top five in the world.

According to Mayor Miller Toronto currently has about 105 buildings over 12 storeys going up in the city. This includes residential and commercial buildings. Phase one of the Bay Adelaide Centre - 51 storeys distributed over 1.2 million square feet – just opened. Cadillac Fairview will be opening the 43-storey RBC Centre complex near University Ave. and Wellington St. and Menkes’ 780,000-square-foot Telus Tower near the Air Canada Centre will be opening in November. Toronto keeps growing skyward, but every once in a while a residential neighbourhood says NO.