I am pleased to share with you that pending a final vote by the Toronto District School Board of Trustees later this month, the Old Orchard property located at 375 Dovercourt Rd will not be sold off. This is good news and means that the West End Parents Daycare and the Orchard Montessori will be able to stay on the site to provide child care and educational services in our community.

Ever since it emerged that this site could potentially be sold off by the TDSB in 2014, I worked closely with neighbouring Councillor Mike Layton in order to retain the existing uses on the site. This included the motion I moved at Executive Committee which directed City staff to work with us, the Toronto Lands Corporation (the TDSB's real estate arm), and the current tenants in order to identify ways to secure increased parkland and preserve 200 child care and after school program spaces.

You can read more about the recommendation made by TDSB staff in their report by clicking here. 

As many of you are aware, the Toronto District School Board has identified the Old Orchard Junior Public School lands at 375 Dovercourt Road in Ward 19 as a site that could potentially be sold off. While the school is no longer in operation, the West End Parents Daycare and the Orchard Montessori rent space from the TDSB to provide child care and educational services for parents and children in the community. 

I have been working with Councillor Mike Layton (Ward 19, Trinity Spadina) in order to try to find a solution that would result in retaining the existing uses on the site. As part of our efforts, I recently moved a motion at the June 29, 2016 Executive Committee meeting that directs City staff to work with Councillor Layton and I, the Toronto Lands Corporation (the TDSB's real estate arm), and the current tenants to develop a business case for the potential severance, purchase and/or loan guarantee, in order to secure increased parkland and preserve 200 child care and after school program spaces and to report back to the Executive Committee.

I believe that it is critical that we retain the child care and green space that our community currently utilizes now and into the future. I look forward to continuing our discussions to try and find a solution that will allow for the retention of child care spaces on the site. 

Dear neighbours,

Many of you may have heard news regarding the uncertain future of childcare services operated at the Old Orchard Public School. This is as a result of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) directing the Toronto Land Corporation to initiate a process of consultation to consider this site for sale.

The Old Orchard Public School building, located at 375 Dovercourt Road, has been closed by the TDSB for many years. During this time, two operators – the West End Parents Day Care Centre and the Orchard Montessori School have been using this space to offer childcare programming. In June of 2014, however, the TDSB listed this property for sale. The resulting sale of the Old Orchard site would remove the necessary programming space for these operators, requiring them to relocate.