Albany Medical Clinic clears hurdle

By Tom Stoukas 

Despite concerns about parking, the Albany Medical Clinic cleared a major hurdle as the Toronto and East York community council approved a zoning amendment for the clinic’s proposed Broadview location.   

The zoning amendment, passed on Feb.12, allows the clinic to build a five-storey building 250 metres north of the Broadview subway station to replace their existing location at 200 Danforth Ave.  Because the entire building will be used for commercial purposes the clinic needed a zoning by-law to permit modifications such as increased height and density.  

James Higginson-Rowllins, managing director of the Albany Medical Clinic, called the decision a “major event” for the clinic’s future home. 

“Getting the amendment passed was very big because nothing else can happen until it passed,” Higginson-Rowllins said.  

Local resident Neil Walker supports the proposed clinic next to his house but has concerns over its impact on parking and traffic in the neighborhood.  

“The area and the streets around it are already besieged with traffic well beyond what we were ever expected to carry,” Walker said.  “I can only see this particular problem becoming worse with time.” 

Councillor Paula Fletcher also voiced concern that the size of the clinic would increase demands for more parking in the residential area off Broadview Avenue. “This area has been under pressure,” Fletcher said. 

 “As you know there was a request to knock down three Toronto community housing units in order to have increased parking.” 

Traffic consultant Andrew Brown told council that the new development would have a minimal impact on traffic and parking in the area. 

“Most of the people that we observed going to the current clinic are either dropped out or use transit,” Brown said. “In fact, this location on Broadview is more convenient to the existing subway station.” 

Councillor Case Ootes brushed aside concerns over parking and supported the clinic’s proposal as a necessary project that will keep up with growth in the area. 

“This is a good project,” Ootes said. “ (Broadview) is an avenue. That’s what avenues are supposed to be about. To increase intensification.”   

 For the next step in the development process, the clinic must obtain city approval for its proposed site plan along with the necessary building permits. Higginson-Rowllins doesn’t anticipate any problems with the site plan now that the amendment has been passed.  

 If things go as planned the clinic hopes to break ground on the new building by late spring or early summer.