Why High Park's car-limiting redesign is splitting voters in Ward 4

High Park is going through some big changes as the city reconfigures the road to further restrict vehicular access and it is driving a lot of voters in the upcoming Ward 4 race. It's certainly molded my thoughts and my personal decision about who I will support. Marshall Leslie is the director of a local group trying to stop the High Park movement strategy in its tracks. Crews have been steadily removing about 300 parking spaces in favor of more space for people to walk and bike. We think that the movement strategy has gone off the rails, that the consultations have failed, that the original council resolution, for example, didn't contain any information about the number of parking spaces that were going to be closed. And so we should simply start over. Cars are already banned on weekends and holidays. In 2023, City Council voted in favour of full road closures as part of its long-term strategy. And some nearby residents support that vision. The fact that we are having this argument in this day and age is bizarre because cars don't belong in parks and that's what we'll be voting for this election. Momentum is with us. Even the leaves are turning yellow. Candidates running for councillor in Parkdale High Park, an open seat, say the issue is top of mind for voters. Maybe 75% of the doors, people raise this issue. High Park is consistently the number one issue since day one, May 1st, that we started this campaign. Leslie's group surveyed the 10 candidates running asking if they'd fight to suspend implementation of the movement strategy and do more public consultation. Educator Nadia Guerrera is one of four candidates who said yes. Because what I did hear after knocking on over 40,000 doors in this community is that people did not feel there was adequate consultation. They didn't feel there was enough time and space for them to bring their voices to the table. There have been multiple rounds of public consultation dating back to 2021 and rounds of protests after the plan was adopted, with critics saying road closures would interfere with families traveling with small children and sports equipment while limiting access for people with disabilities. But there are candidates who support pushing ahead. Private sector engineer Vanessa Raponi and community worker Diana Chan McNally aren't in favor of halting work, but... What we've heard again and again and again is that people don't feel like they were listened to. We want to make sure that there is that access at City Hall, So all the different concerns from all different groups and people can actually be brought in. My position is broadly that I'm not supportive of High Park being a thoroughfare with a prioritization of vehicles. But I am very supportive of adapting access so that every person can comfortably use the space. Also running the area school board trustee who didn't answer the question. I believe that we can have a reduction in cars. but that doesn't mean that there wouldn't be service vehicles or emergency vehicles or some accessible access as it's needed. The city says future roadway designs are still being developed and the community will get another chance to weigh in on a preferred design before it's finalized. No additional changes to vehicle access are planned before staff report back to council in late 2027. And for the first time in over a decade, a new Parkdale High Park councillor will take the lead on the file. Dale Manuk, CBC News, Toronto. Thank you.