Toronto Mayoral Candidate Suggests Repurposing City Golf Courses

"Mayoral candidate and former Toronto chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat announced a new proposal to convert three city-owned golf courses into publicly-accessible spaces intended to be open year-round," Ilya Bañares reports for The Toronto Star.

Toronto's 2018-2026 capital plan dedicates about $10 million to improve the courses, none of which is heavily used. All three are located near major transit routes in North York, Roselands, and Oakridge, respectively.

"Highest and best use of public land means opening it up to more uses by more people," Keesmaat said. Her proposal would convert all three properties to uses to be determined by community planning processes, as long as they remain free and open to the public. 

All city-owned and operated golf courses are under review following a January vote by the Toronto City Council. Ecologists suggest restoring the courses to green space could mitigate flooding and improve the city's tree canopy, as well as create recreational opportunities for residents.