Thread by @alexbozikovic

.@globeandmail, I argue that Toronto’s COVID recovery should include the teardown of the east Gardiner Expressway. It’s not too late.
theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto… #TOpoli 1/

Yes: rebuilding this short section would be very expensive. But there’s also half a neighbourhood at stake. 5.4 extra acres of land, and $500-million in city revenue. 2/

A design by Smart Density shows that with the “Boulevard” option, you could build more than 8,000 homes here, *and* a community centre and parkland. 3/

With this design, @JShamess of @collierscanada estimates the land could be worth $1.2-billion. Rebuilding the expressway would waste at least 40% of that. 4/

How could that value be better spent? How many units of affordable housing could it generate? 5/

And this will be a central, important neighborhood. The planned @EastHarbourTO district, with up to 50,000 jobs (and no housing): steps away. The revamped port lands? Next door. 6/

On process: staff confirmed to me that no construction contract has been tendered. Back in 2018 @jpags and @dmrider reported on this issue and were told the city had signed a $313-million contract. This, it turns out, was for work west of Cherry Street. It’s not too late. 7/

Why should we discuss this again? It’s a 100-year decision. Why shouldn’t we? 8/