Development funds are paydirt for local schools
[attach]7573[/attach]Two North Toronto schools are on their way to getting upgraded playgrounds, thanks in part to an Avenue Road condominium development proposal recently given the go-ahead by the city.
John Wanless Junior Public School on Fairlawn Avenue and Allenby Junior Public School on St. Clements Avenue will be given $50,000 each to go toward installation of artificial turf from developer Mady Development.
City council gave the okay on Feb. 20 for a strip of buildings along the west side of Avenue Road, between Fairlawn and Brookdale avenues, to be demolished to make way for a seven-storey, mixed-use condo building.
The $100,000 was secured through Section 37 of the provincial planning act, which allows for municipalities to ask developers for cash to be used toward community projects if the development’s height and density exceeds the limit.
The money will go a long way to helping the two schools improve their playgrounds, said Ward 16 councillor Karen Stintz, who selected the schools as the recipients. Installing artificial turf, she said, is something the schools had been wanting to do for some time.
“The TDSB has agreed to replace the turf but they want community partners, so the community is going to raise some money, the Section 37 will be a contribution and the school board will make a contribution,” she said.
Stintz said keeping grass growing on the playgrounds has been “an effort in futility,” given that both schools are at all-time highs for enrollment and the adjacent communities get a lot of use out of the areas as well.
The Toronto District School Board did not return requests for comment.