OCTOBER 2, 2007:  THE SCARBOROUGH MIRROR

By: DAVID NICKLE

 

The Scarborough Community Council delivered a clear rebuke to the owners of the Markham-based Pacific Mall and a neighbouring plaza, when they tried to convince politicians to put the brakes on plans to build a 200,000-square-foot second-phase addition on the Splendid China shopping mall.

"They're just protecting and promoting their interest in Steeles Avenue and it's ironic: they're punching way above their weight," said Scarborough Community Council chair Norm Kelly (Ward 40, Scarborough-Agincourt) after the meeting. "I think the councillors whose wards are on Steeles, and this community council, has finally decided to fight back."

The development, which would see the 100,000-square-foot retail complex essentially tripled in size, is before the Ontario Municipal Board because Toronto council couldn't deal with it quickly enough. City staff and the local councillor are, however, supportive of the redevelopment and will be going to the OMB recommending approval.

But lawyers for the Pacific Mall and Market Village Markham Inc. came before community council arguing the second phase of the development shouldn't be able to go ahead until Splendid China comes forward with a more comprehensive traffic plan.

The Pacific Mall is located just north of Steeles Avenue at Kennedy; the Splendid China development, is on the south side of Steeles just east of Kennedy.

Mary Flynn-Guglietti, a lawyer representing Pacific Mall, said the congestion around the intersection is bad and will only get worse if other plans to redevelop their site go ahead.

"One of the busiest intersections in Toronto is Kennedy and Steeles, it's an extremely congested site," she said. "We have reviewed all of the reports that our own traffic consultants we have retained delivered, and I just wanted to bring to your attention the fact that our concerns have not been resolved."

Flynn-Guglietti and Barry Horosko, a lawyer for Market Village Markham, Inc., a site adjacent to the Pacific Mall, both said that the Splendid China's traffic study didn't take into account their plans.

However, Signe Leisk, representing Splendid China, insisted their traffic study assumes full occupancy at the intersection and accused the Pacific Mall of simply trying to stall the redevelopment of Splendid China, an outlet that would provide direct competition to the busy Markham mall.

"They haven't done a traffic study yet. In our submission this has been put forward just for the purpose of trying to delay the Splendid China application," she said.

Ward 39 (Scarborough-Agincourt) Councillor Mike Del Grande, who represents the area where Splendid China is building, said that his own attempts to broker a truce between the two landowners proved fruitless.

And he said the benefits to the city and the community represented by the Splendid China redevelopment, which also involves helping pay for a new road connecting Steeles to Passmore Avenue and ultimately to McNicoll, along Redlea Avenue, as well as traffic calming in the Heathwood neighbourhood, means the community council has no choice but to represent the interests of Torontonians.

"The tax base is on the south side of Steeles," he said. "We're going to get improvements to the community, which is one of the 13 priority neighbourhoods. There are a lot of benefits that occur, but the city has to do its part to extend the road to Finch. And anyone driving along Redlea will be getting to the Pacific Mall on the north side. They're getting a big freebee there."

After the meeting, both Flynn-Guglietti and Horosko denied their clients were trying to do anything but maintain good traffic flow around their properties.

"It's not a race for the density, but there is an issue of the traffic congestion. We just want to ensure that it's not going to create gridlock," Flynn-Guglietti said.

The development plan will go to the OMB Dec. 3.