The former Page Public School, which has been used by the North Toronto Christian School (NTCS) for nearly three decades, could be torn down to make way for a new housing development in Bayview Village near Finch Street East and Bayview Avenue.
“The proposal is for a new public cul-de-sac and 21 single-family homes,” said Leith Moore, vice-president of development at Sorbara Development Group, which purchased the property from the Toronto District School Board after it was declared a surplus property in May.
“There were the usual regrets about losing green space in our community,” said Doug Stephens, president of the Bayview Village Association, since the development would take over the entire 4.2-acre property, but added that he was relieved the proposal wasn’t calling for any high-rise addition.
“We are anxious to see if this developer is actually going to deliver on what they say they will do, since many developers change their minds and decide to increase the density of their plans.”
Coun. David Shiner said that once the decision had been made to sell the land, this type of development was one of the best the community could hope for.
“I think that unfortunately the decision was made by the school board to sell the site, and we have to live with that decision.The city and myself had no control over if they wished to sell or not sell the site,” he said. “Although I’d love for it to stay as green space, that wasn’t really the choice that we were given. I wish they wouldn’t have sold it and would have kept it there, but now that it’s sold, the best use of it now is for the type of homes that are being proposed.”
NTCS will remain on the property until their lease expires in June. According to the city’s planning department, issues still to be resolved before the application gets approval include zoning, the preservation of three mature trees and parkland requirements.