Toronto District School Board loses Superior Court appeal on Central Tech field

As those following my TDSB Trustee campaign know, I am opposed to the commercial development of the Central Tech field and the manner in which the Toronto District School Board obfuscated about and then tried to ram through the process. So this court decision comes as good news:   

The fate of a recreational facility at a Toronto high school is in jeopardy after the school board lost its court appeal against the city.

The Toronto District School Board was looking to overturn a decision by Superior Court Justice David Corbett, who ruled in June that the board’s plan to enter into a private partnership and build an artificial turf field and seasonal dome at Central Technical School was not exempt from the city’s zoning regulations.

The divisional court ruled on Tuesday that the city’s move was reasonable and that the $6-million sports facility, operated by Razor Management Inc. (RMI), would not qualify for the “teaching or instructional purposes” bylaw exemption.

“The [chief building official’s] finding that the bulk of the RMI use would not include an instructional component was a reasonable finding of fact, based on the information provided to the City,” wrote the panel of Ontario Divisional Court judges.

The TDSB said in a statement Tuesday that it was disappointed with the decision and will be moving forward with an Ontario Municipal Board appeal. A hearing has not been scheduled.