“Where will you be in five years?” It’s a question you may find slightly jarring. Some of us, like myself, may not know where we’ll be in five hours.
But the question has Scarborough councillors and residents wondering. It’s on the mind of not only individuals, but the minds of the community as a whole.
The Pan American Games are coming. Anxious fans, members of parliament, and activists can begin the countdown. The year 2015 is approaching faster than we think. Will Scarborough be able to handle the bombardment of athletes, fans, families and media?
As the proposed Scarborough RT is shutting down next year for much needed improvements and a proposed LRT in hopeful minds, we may have been slightly too ambitious. How will these people get to and from the city without adequate infrastructure? I don’t mean to offend those working hard to get these plans in action. However, perhaps the movement should pick up the pace.
In the midst of the Pan-Am pandemonium, we have a wind turbine war on our hands. But first, we must build an anemometer that will take eight months to set up and two years to collect sufficient data. And hey, if we have the time, we’ll throw up some windmills and hope the athletes don’t mind the eyesore and the constant humming.
I’m not saying Scarborough can’t do it. If anyone can hold a crowd, host a party or award some athletes, Scarborough can. What I fear is that in five years, we’ll be standing aboard a crowded LRT, perhaps slightly agitated by the lack of sleep from the hum of the turbines, maybe a little starved from the shortage of food and thinking: why did we agree to this?
Or worse, there may not be an LRT or any turbines in place and we’ll be stuck in gridlock on Morningside Avenue. Then, we’ll be hosting agitated athletes who wished Scarborough were a bit more organized — or at least more quickly moving.
No one can predict where we will be in the next five years. We can simply hope. Hope the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway don’t charge a $5 toll to support this endeavour. Trust the University of Toronto students don’t cause uproar over heightened tuition fees because of this. Wish for the turbines to be built without travail. Pray the SRT and ambitious LRT will be up and running. Lastly, have faith that the athletes won’t laugh at our failed attempts to make this the perfect Pan-Am experience.
Enough with the meetings, debates, and debacles. We’ve got a party to host. Let’s get the PANdemonium A-Movin’.