Public consultation held Wednesday on future of Downsview Park

A community consultation meeting was held on Wednesday evening to discuss the future of Downsview Park.

Condominiums that could house up to 30,000 people are being planned for the area and there are concerns the land, which is owned by the federal government, will be turned over to developers.

Ward 9 Coun. Maria Augimeri has asked the federal government to return the urban park back to the city, after a leaked memo showed an intention to sell off a portion of the park to developers.

But the feds rejected the idea Tuesday, according to the Toronto Star.

She and others at the meeting were concerned that much of the green space will be paved over.

Augimeri said the leaked memo is from Public Works Deputy Minister Michelle d’Auray to the Public Works minister at the time, Rona Ambrose, and discusses the possible future of the park.

In November 2012 the federal government put the 231-hectare land under the control of Canada Lands Co., an arms-length federal Crown corporation focused on real estate development.

Augimeri has set up an online petition residents can sign as part of her Set Downsview Free campaign.

The development company hosted the meeting at the Warehouse Event Venue, located at 35 Carl Hall Rd., near Sheppard Avenue West and Keele Street.

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