As Mike Feldman steps down as the councillor for Ward 10, he said one of the major issues in the area is the proposed development at Bathurst Manor plaza. 

The controversial project has been in the works for about four years now, but the owner recently submitted a revised planning application for the site, located on the northeast corner of Wilmington Avenue and Overbrook Place.

Residents have raised standard development issues, such as height and increased traffic, said Coun. Feldman, but what residents are especially interested in is maintaining access to the local retail the plaza has provided.

“People want their stores because Bathurst Manor is sort of an isolated area geographically, so people have to go out to Dufferin or to Finch or to Sheppard for shopping,” he said.

Anna Ritacca, a resident who has sat on the working group that was established four years ago, said that keeping commercial space was of particular interest to her.

“The site needs to be redeveloped,” she said. “We just have to make sure that we maintain the services. We need to make sure that we get some decent urban design and enough critical mass to revitalize all of Wilmington.”

For Ritacca, the developer’s latest application includes the right amount of retail and represents a good design, but she would like assurance that these elements will be retained. Other residents are still worried about density and the impact it would have on infrastructure, she said. In the meantime, the shopping centre — once a vibrant community hub — has deteriorated.

“The plaza looks like it’s in complete disrepair,” said Ritacca.

The current proposal lays out plans for two mixed-use buildings, the first standing three to six storeys, and the second six storeys. This would include roughly 20,000 square feet of retail and services on the ground floors. 

At this stage, the applicant can revise the plans or ask city staff to make recommendations to council based on the current proposal.