Toronto building redevelopment stalls over ownership questions

Plans to transform Toronto’s Bickford Centre into a community hub are on hold as the city and the Toronto District School Board work to clarify who controls the property. The site, on Bloor Street near Christie Pits, has been proposed for a mixeduse public space with amenities such as a pool, gym, concert hall, and movie theatre. Local resident Darlene Varaleau and neighbours have pushed the idea for about two years, but progress has been slow. Coun. Dianne Saxe says the city owns the land while the TDSB appears to own the building, but the exact arrangement is unclear because no formal lease seems to have been created when the school opened decades ago. She said any redevelopment will also face major cost hurdles, and formal negotiations may not begin for at least a year. The TDSB says it continues to use the site for education and community purposes.