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OFF THE RAILS
The Royal Orchard journey to derailing Option 3
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A dedicated group of volunteer community members from the Town of Thornhill, the Cities of Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill, Region of York and the City of Toronto, who support the construction of the Yonge North Subway Extension (YNSE) from Finch station in Toronto, to Richmond Hill, along the Yonge Street corridor, as originally presented by the Province of Ontario and the City of Markham, in 2019. |
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The Banquo Road Protest against Metrolinx geotechnical drilling on Friday, September 17th was a great show of community spirit and resolve to Stop Option 3. Thank you to all who were able to join us and share your voices, and some amazing home made signs.
Along with over 200 protesters who attended were many of our political leaders (from all levels of government and different parties). All of them fully supporting our mandate to keep the subway on Yonge.
Television and print media coverage included CITY TV, CBC, YRMG, Thornhill Liberal and the Toronto Star
Our Ward 1 councillor, Keith Irish, left us with this heartfelt message, “I want you to know, that those who’s cause has been our concern… the work continues… the cause endures… and the dream of a Yonge Street subway on Yonge Street, shall never die.”
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Markham Ward 1 Councilor Keith Irish with Deputy Mayor Don Hamilton |
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Congratulations to Melissa Lantsman for securing the Thornhill MP position!
We want to thank Melissa for supporting our "Keep the Subway on Yonge" committee, and all the efforts we are making to derail the Metrolinx Option 3 alignment. It was great to have our residents hear that she will continue to lobby on our behalf and make sure that the commitment for federal funding of the YNSE is conditional on keeping it in a high density area. We look forward to hearing about Melissa’s steps moving forward with this top priority issue for Thornhill.
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EFFORT MAKES A DIFFERENCE... |
We are continuing the fight and taking it to Queen’s Park with a
Rally to Build Transit Better!
On Wednesday, October 6th from 12:00 to 2:00pm.
We will be protesting Doug Ford’s “Building Transit Faster Act", along with other communities who are being affected by Metrolinx fiascos throughout the GTA
Participating Community groups include:
Smalls Creek (in Williamson Park Ravine north of Gerrard, east of Coxwell) www.smallscreek.ca
Confirmed speakers include: Markham Ward 1 Councilor Keith Irish, Mike Schreiner, Leader of Green Party of Ontario, Peter Tabuns, NDP MPP (opposition critic Environment), Rima Berns-McGown NDP MPP (opposition critic of Poverty Homelessness), Floyd Ruskin (Don’t Mess with The Don), Rosemary Waterston (Lakeshore East CAC), among other leaders in our communities.
Bring your voice, signs and banners! Together we will make a difference!
FYI -
Parking is not available at QP. there is Green P parking and U of T parking within walking distance.
Charter Bus There will be a YRT Chartered Bus available for those in our community who are not able to drive or take public transit. The subsidized cost for the bus is $10 per person. Covid-19 protocols will be enforced and the bus has a maximum capacity of 30 people. Please fill out the form at the link below if you would like to use our Chartered Bus. We need to know numbers for the bus by Friday, October 1, at noon.
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METROLINX is currently involved in several projects in the GTA. Of concern is that they seem to demonstrate a pattern of an absence of real community consultation. What they call “consultation” has been merely the delivery of the agency’s vague plans. There have been limited opportunities for communities to express their real concerns and opinions. Developers and future “transit-oriented communities” appear to be given greater consideration than existing communities and the people who pay their taxes and live within them.
In an effort to force METROLINX to provide meaningful public consultation and to demand that municipal governments have the right to sign-off on any final decisions, a coalition of community groups has been formed. As it currently stands, such decisions rest solely with the Province of Ontario.
Check out some of the other community groups in a battle with METROLINX...
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Save Jimmie Simpson is committed to minimizing the environmental, health and social impacts of Metrolinx's planned above-ground routing of the Ontario Line. The group advocates for the line being built underground in Riverside/Leslieville.
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Save T Park is a youth-based, grassroots movement to save Thorncliffe Park from Environmental Racism and unfair processes, taking advantage of a marginalized community by dumping a train yard in one of the GTA’s most densely populated neighbourhoods. The group seeks to prevent systemic government bias and influence Metrolinx to move the train yard to an appropriate location.
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Lakeshore East Community Advisory Committee (“cac”), is a community group that was founded to work cooperatively with METROLINX to minimize the impact of the regional express rail (“rer”) project and other METROLINX projects on the quality of life for the communities and neighbours living along the lakeshore east railway line.
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METROLINX ISN'T LISTENING... |
Despite both the Cities of Vaughan and Markham rejecting their YNSE Option 3 alignment, Metrolinx has started Early Works geotechnical drilling for their Environmental Assessment Addendum. The red dots on the map below show the drill markings on Yonge Street, the CN rail corridor, and in our Royal Orchard neighbourhood. The Businesses on Yonge Street are shown to indicate where the YNSE was originally aligned.
Core drilling on Shieldmark has been completed, Banquo Road is ongoing. Metrolinx has not provided any information as to when sites on Thorny Brae, Bay Thorn, Kirk or St. Anthony school property will commence. (Other survey marks are also located on Kirk Drive and in the Royal Orchard park near the pedestrian bridge).
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GET INVOLVED AND IN-THE-KNOW
We are always looking to attract the interest and the skillset of other stakeholders and community members who want to join our efforts of keeping the subway North on Yonge. We are in the midst of planning future events in an effort to keep the community informed and exchange new ideas.
Stronger together, we encourage you to use the links below to keep informed of news and plans as they unfold.
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