City Executive Committee approves gym extension

Toronto's City Executive Committee has voted to go ahead with spending $1.8M to build an extension to the gym at the Father John Redmond Catholic School to be given the smokscreen name of Ken Cox Community Centre. There is a catch but not a particularly difficult one that is probably unenforcable. The Toronto Catholic District School Board has to sign an agreement to make sure the community can get adequate access to the facilities. Mayor David Miller supported the project subject to that agreement. He said "I understand that some employees have not acted in accordance with the spirit of that agreement." A written agreement won't change that because the TCDSB and City of Toronto Parks & Rec. are in cahoots and have consistently lied to the community. Is anything going to happen if the agreement is violated? Spare me.

Ruth Grier explained that the school board has not and likely won't cooperate with the community. She also said that the Lakeshore Lions Arena is two blocks away and we'd be better off working with the Toronto District School Board. Ward 6 Councillor Mark "The Coward" Grimes wasn't there but he sent a letter begging that the project be approved. The city's reasoning for going in this direction is that this is what they can afford to do with $1.8M. Ruth said it's not adequate. Ward 15 Councillor Howard Moscoe said that it's better than nothing without taking into consideration that a better solution is available only two blocks away. It's very short sighted.









This is all about control. This $1.8M does not belong to the city. It belongs to the community. We are well aware that $1.8M isn't enough to turn the Lakeshore Lions Arena into a real community centre. But Parks & Rec. doesn't want to give up control. All we want the $1.8M and we will make a deal with the TDSB and finance it privately. We will do this with or without the city and they'll end up looking like the idiots they are. And that will be the legacy of Mark "The Coward" Grimes.