[URBAN NOTE] "Toronto city council unanimously approves $2.4M for design work on Rail Deck Park"

[rfmcdonald]

CBC News' Kate McGillivray reports on the good news from Toronto city council about funding research into the Rail Deck Park.

Toronto's city council unanimously approved $2.4 million Wednesday for design work on Rail Deck Park.

However, some amendments were added to bring skeptical councillors from suburban wards onside, including improving suburban parks and funding other parks similar to Rail Deck Park.

There's been some division around the 8.5-hectare park proposed for the waterfront railway corridor, estimated to cost $1.05 billion to build, as some suburban councillors question how its creation would benefit their residents.

Ward 7 York West Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti told his counterparts Wednesday morning that he would only support the project if more money were invested in maintaining suburban parks.

"I'll make the city a deal," he told council. "If we in the suburbs can get our playgrounds cleaned up every day, get needles that are left behind from drug addicts cleaned up ... then I will support [a] park in the city of Toronto."