Ford gives up goal of seizing Port Lands

The Toronto Star:

Mayor Rob Ford and his councillor brother Doug have abandoned their dream of seizing the Port Lands from Waterfront Toronto and replacing neighbourhood-based development with glitzy attractions.

Faced with public uproar and a revolt among council allies, the Ford administration was forced to reach across political divisions and has reached what one councillor calls “a consensus, not a compromise,” for council to vote on as early as Wednesday.

Only two weeks ago, executive committee voted to start negotiations to regain control of the city land, after Doug Ford had revealed plans were afoot to trash a plan subjected to six years of public consultation and the investment of $19 million.

Mayor Ford declared then: “We have to speed up that process so we can all benefit from a beautiful Port Lands,” as councillors viewed a conceptual video featuring a monorail, giant Ferris wheel and a huge shopping centre.

But councillors were flooded with calls and emails from residents worried about a seemingly hasty move. A grassroots lobby effort sprang up and more than 140 architecture, planning and design experts sent council an open letter urging them to stick with current plans.

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