Compromise reached to put dome over Toronto’s Central Tech field

Toronto's Central Technical School will get a dome over a new artificial playing field, but it will be smaller than first envisioned and with greater public access.

The compromise is the result of a mediated settlement at the Ontario Municipal Board that ends a protracted dispute involving the city, the school board and its students, local residents and the private company that will construct and operate the facility. It goes to the OMB for approval later this month.

Under the agreement made public Friday, the scale of the dome, to be constructed and operated by Razor Management Inc., has been reduced and will be limited to the space inside the track. Other issues addressed by the deal include concerns about traffic and parking and community access.

Councillor Joe Cressy, whose downtown ward includes the high school, said the settlement represents the end of a "long, drawn-out and at times divisive debate."

There were seven parties involved in the case, including three residents associations. The school board took its fight to get the $6-million sports facility to the OMB after it lost a court battle with the city in which it argued the facility should be exempt from the municipality's zoning regulations.

"I think an issue like Central Tech field can divide a community," Mr. Cressy said. "This is all about how you live in a city and find a balance."

Sue Dexter, a board member of the Harbord Village Residents' Association, said the community was able to secure several limits on the facility's use, such as no music in the evening, no alcohol and no overnight events. But she said the process was exhausting. "It's a pity it took so much time and money," she said.

The scaled-down dome will be 59 feet high, down from 80 feet, and it will have a reduced footprint that will allow public access to the track. Public access to the field has been increased to 17 per cent, with the majority of that in the summer, Mr. Cressy said, and a liaison team will be set up to handle future problems.

In addition to work on the field, improvements will be made to the sidewalks and land that borders it along Bathurst and Harbord streets.

Matthew Raizenne, president of Razor Management, said his firm plans to apply for a building permit as soon as the deal gets OMB approval, and is aiming to have the field and track ready for the next school year.

The arrangement will give the public access to a new high-performance track, he said, and the dome will be similar to the one that covers Varsity Stadium at the University of Toronto.

School principal Lisa Edwards gave the news to students in an annoumcent Friday. For more than a year, Central Tech teams have trained and played at neighbouring fields. The new field means they can again host home games, she said. "Let me tell you, the students are already abuzz," she said. "All they want to know is when will they start digging."

Central Tech's field has been closed since November, 2013, after soil tests conducted by a company for the TDSB said exposure to the field carries a "minimal" risk that could be eliminated with a new artificial surface or new topsoil.

Under the 21-year deal between the school board and Razor Management, the company will create and maintain a facility for soccer, football and other field sports at Central Tech. A dome will cover the sports field during the winter, and students would have use of the facility on weekdays during the school year.