Supportive Housing Project to Displace 30-Year-Old Community Garden
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
City of Toronto plans to relocate Garrison Flats Community Garden to make way for an eight-storey residential development.
The City of Toronto is moving forward with plans, as CBC Toronto first reported, to transform city-owned land into an eight-storey supportive housing project featuring 81 units, necessitating the removal of the Garrison Flats Community Garden. Established in 1997, the garden is situated on Wellington Street W., nestled between the Maple Green building and South Stanley Extension Park.
According to CBC Toronto, the timeline for the garden's removal has been accelerated. City spokesperson Alexandra Dinsmore told CBC Toronto that engineers recommended proceeding with the demolition of the Maple Green building sooner to protect the public and neighboring properties after the building's roof partially collapsed in late August. While gardeners were previously told they could remain until 2027, an email sent in early September informed them that demolition plans were being finalized.
Gardeners, including Shoshanah Mackay and community organizer Sandy Douglas, have lobbied local politicians and launched a petition to save the original site. Mackay noted that while she supports the supportive housing project, the destruction of the garden is unnecessary. Douglas described the site as a "cornerstone of peace and relaxation."
To mitigate the loss, the city plans to relocate the garden to adjacent park land. Local councillor Ausma Malik, a former gardener at the site, stated she is directing community benefits funding toward a water source and storage space to ensure a seamless transition. The project site also includes the Strachan House, a 19th-century former mill and city-owned supportive housing site currently undergoing redevelopment.