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To join our Citizens for Riverdale Hospital e-mail list: peninac(at)sympatico.ca
NOV. 5th, 2006
"Sustainability" has become the word of the
year -- daily there are more warnings, more calls for environmental
concern, education, protection. Here in Toronto, politicians of every stripe
have jumped on the green bandwagon. Everyone is for a greener, healthier city.
And, boy, do they ever love holding meetings, conferences and workshops on how
to make Toronto cleaner and greener.
Odd then that Bridgepoint, a hospital whose
patients are, in its own words, among the most fragile in the system,
seems determined to raze a perfectly re-usable major building in the name of
healthcare; that it has designed a scheme that adds more roads to our city; that
it thought it was doing those who question its plans and decisions a big favour
by "trying" to meet a silver standard (Silver LEED) when British Columbia's new
cancer research institute just proudly finished constructing a Gold LEED
building. Odd, too, that City Council didn't ask a single question about
Bridgepoint's plans.
These are some of the things
that will be under review as Citizens for Riverdale Hospital (CRH)
takes Bridgepoint Health and the City of Toronto to the OMB for
a hearing that starts on Monday, November 6th at 10 AM. (The OMB is
located at 655 Bay (about 2 blks north of Dundas), 16th floor. The room will be posted --
it's OMB file # 060049.)
It is a David and Goliath situation. The
stones in the CRH slingshot are arguments about the environmental impacts of
premature demolition of sound structures, as well as the City’s failure to
recognize the cultural value of the Riverdale Hospital in the planning of the
Bridgepoint project. These are unusual arguments, but if successful will set an
important precedent regarding conservation of public resources.
The CRH are appealing the plan for Bridgepoint hospital, in particular the scheme's environmental impact -- including
its failure to retain the existing
"Half-Round" building, which is an important modern building and a
favorite community landmark. CRH has hired lawyer Eric Gillespie to present
their case, and will have expert testimony from architects Martin
Liefhebber and Jane Burgess, and planner Ian Cooper.
WHAT YOU CAN
DO:
- You are invited to attend the hearing.
It would be particularly helpful if you could come by as it begins,
but it will be continuing throughout the week -- drop by any time!
- Donations are always welcome -- and are tax
deductible. As you can imagine, it is costly for a community group to go
against well-funded institutions (upwards of $20,000). Funds are
being collected by the Toronto Architectural Conservancy (TAC). Make cheques are payable to TAC-Riverdale and send them
to:
Toronto Architectural
Conservancy
P.O
Box 7162, Station A
Toronto, Ontario
M5W 1X8
Donors of $35 or more will receive
a copy of ACT: The Toronto Architectural Conservancy Magazine
for January 2007 featuring articles on Riverdale Hospital
by Pleasance Crawford, Olga Pugliese, Dave LeBlanc, Mary Smith and others. As well, there is
biographical information on the principal architects and designers,
a look at the site and a patient's words
of appreciation. In all a thorough history
of Metro's finest architectural commission, and....
... it doesn't end there!
Also included is the complete story of round structures
in Toronto with dozens of contributors as
your guide to 200 local round things: buildings, windows,
furniture, sites, fountains, sculpture, signs, logos, clocks AND MORE!!! A trove
of never-before published primary research (and despite that it's pretty interesting too).
- Come out to an all-candidates meeting for Ward 30, home
of Riverdale Hospital: Matty Eckler Community Centre (953
Gerard Street East, 416 392-0750) Tuesday, November 7
starting at 7 PM.
We've received new photos from film maker, photographer Brian Stockton that you can view at http://web.mac.com/brianstockton/iWeb/Site/Riverdale%20Hospital.html
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