City Council voted to re-confirm support for a full-fledged, federal-moneyed, heavy-duty subway to Scarborough yesterday (Tuesday, October 8, 2013) but there was very little support for that concept from South Bayview-area councillors. The split was 24 in favour of the subway, 20 opposed with no abstentions or absentees, and we may be sure the “no” votes preferred the LRT concept. The project in question is the extension of the Danforth line to Sheppard Avenue, not the current Eglinton Crosstown LRT already under construction. The yays and nays are below. From nearby wards, only TTC Chair Karen Stintz (Ward 16) was in favour of the subway. Those South Bayview area members opposed were Mary Fragedakis (Ward 29) Josh Matlow (Ward 22) John Parker (Ward 26) Jaye Robinson (Ward 25) and Kristyn Wong-Tam (Ward 27). It is a question of at least two parts. The public support for subways often rises in the desire to clear the roads of buses (and streetcars). Once the transit service is buried in a tunnel, a lot of people find they don’t care whether it’s a subway or LRT. Since the LRT is cheaper, it’s easy to see how that option gathers support. Still, the subway proponents, citing perhaps durability and load capacity, prevailed at the yesterday’s vote.
Yes: 24 Ana Bailão, Michelle Berardinetti, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Vincent Crisanti, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Mike Del Grande, Frank Di Giorgio, Doug Ford, Rob Ford, Mark Grimes, Norman Kelly, Chin Lee, Giorgio Mammoliti, Peter Milczyn, Ron Moeser, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, James Pasternak, Anthony Perruzza, David Shiner, Karen Stintz, Michael Thompson
No: 20 Paul Ainslie, Maria Augimeri, Shelley Carroll, Janet Davis, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Mike Layton, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Denzil Minnan-Wong, John Parker, Gord Perks, Jaye Robinson, Adam Vaughan, Kristyn Wong-Tam
