STOP THE TRAINS
IN OUR PARKS
OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES WORLD CLASS TRANSIT AND OUR GREENSPACE
Our fight continues!
To complete the 1.5 km section of the ECWE, there were viable options that would have preserved our parkland. Despite our coalition filing an injunction, the Humber River's protections under the Greenbelt Plan, species protections under the Species at Risk Act (SARA), and the rights of local urban Indigenous communities to continue accessing these urban forests in accordance with their ancestral practices, Metrolinx forged ahead with construction of the unnecessary elevated section of the line.
The 1,500 trees that were clear-cut provided habitat for Species at Risk, including both threatened and endangered species, within an irreplaceable wildlife corridor connected to the Humber River system.
Metrolinx has destroyed an urban forest corridor and community recreation space. In a neighbourhood with a significant number of lower-income families, parks are an invaluable resource, and these trees helped mitigate the urban heat island effect in our area. As global temperatures continue to rise and flooding becomes more frequent, we continue to advocate for a comprehensive restoration plan that will benefit our community. The loss of this green space has been devastating for some of Toronto's most vulnerable families.
In solidarity and with much gratitude.
Save Eglinton Flats Coalition
About the issue
Join our Save Eglinton Flats Coalition
Metrolinx and the Ford Government presented their illogical and short-sighted plan to run a 1.5 km section of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension (ECWE) as elevated tracks and stations through our parks as a done deal without any input from the local Indigenous community and residents. Metrolinx and the Ford Government could run this section (from Pearen Park to Scarlett Road) underground like the rest of the line, or along the road, which would save them time and money. Metrolinx and the Ford Government have ignored our community’s countless requests to consult on how to build the line.
Metrolinx plans to make Pearen Park a construction staging zone for years. The projected opening of the ECWE LRT line is 2031. Metrolinx plans to start clear cutting 1,500 trees before the end 2023 and have already fenced off large parts of Pearen Park, where kids played every day, and Fergy Brown Park. The ECWE is the western extension of the disastrously delayed and over budget Eglinton Crosstown.
Over the last year and half we’ve been trying to save our trees and parks, including Pearen Park, Fergy Brown Park, Eglinton Flats and the Humber River area, for everyone in our community. For nearly a year, we partnered with urban Indigenous organizations to take action to save the parks. The urban Indigenous organizations had a tipi and Sacred Fire in Pearen Park and were in Ceremony to honour the trees, until Metrolinx threatened to take legal action — which could have included hundreds or thousands of dollars in fines and criminal charges — if the tipi and Sacred Fire weren’t removed from the park.
The urban Indigenous organizations are going to focus on Ceremony and are planning for future Sacred Fires. Our Save Eglinton Flats Coalition continues our advocacy to protect our greenspace and will continue to support the Indigenous organizations' Ceremonies.
The 1,500 trees Metrolinx plans to clear cut are a flood and erosion protector, sound barrier, cool the parks in hot weather, a wildlife corridor to the Humber river system and home to Threatened and Endangered species. These parks are used for ceremony, education, recreation, and contribute to the mental well-being of the residents within our community. With over 5,000 new residential units planned to be built in our community over the next 10 years we'll need our parks more than ever.
What we want
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No train expressway in our parks. Period.
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Metrolinx to bury the trains underground in York South-Weston like they're doing in Etobicoke, or put them along the road, which would save time and money. Metrolinx and the Ford Government must consult with our community.
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Metrolinx to provide transparency about the project - its costs, its size, and its impact.
YORK SOUTH-WESTON DESERVES THE ECWE
AND OUR GREENSPACE!
Contact us at
stopthetrainsinourparks@gmail.com
ABOUT STOP THE TRAINS IN OUR PARKS (STOP)
We are a group of York South-Weston residents who support the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, but oppose putting a train expressway through our parks as part of the project. We believe greenspace should be for wildlife and people, not concrete and trains. We are part of the Save Eglinton Flats Coalition.
