When he first started working at the city’s planning department, amalgamation was just a glint in Mel Lastman’s toupée. Nearly 40 years on, Gary Wright has left his mark on many of our city’s most significant developments, including Yonge-Dundas Square. In anticipation of his March retirement, we sat down with Toronto’s chief planner to talk tall buildings, Occupy Toronto and why the PATH is the perfect place to escape Armageddon.
As a city planner, you must have an opinion on the recent Occupy Toronto movement.
I think we’re fortunate to live in a city where people can openly express their views and where protesters were given ample time to make their point. And it happened peacefully, not like in cities like Paris where you had people rioting in the streets. That said, I do worry about the disappearing middle class. There was a study done recently by Prof. J. David Hulchanski at U of T that showed how both the lowest income and the highest income areas have developed rapidly in the past few decades, but it’s the middle class that keeps cities together. We call it social cohesion—living and interacting with each other.
Did you get a chance to visit the tents at St. James Park?
Not really. I walked by it once, but I didn’t go inside.
You’ve been in your job for almost 40 years now—is there a period that sticks out as Toronto’s glory era?
Right before I started my career the city was experiencing a period of strong civic activism and engagement. There was Jane Jacobs and the “Stop the Spadina expressway” protests. It really depends on what your version of a glory era is. I am proud of the considerable investment we made in transit when we expanded the subway, though that’s not as glamorous.
Were you part of the whole Jane Jacobs café culture in Yorkville?
No, I was still a teenager then. I grew up in Scarborough, but I do remember coming into town and visiting Yorkville. It was sort of a folk haven then. I just thought it was amazing—so vibrant and exciting.
What effect do you think the mayor’s suburban sympathies will have on future city planning?
It’s no surprise that we have a suburban mayor given the makeup of the city’s population. I think the mayor is concerned about living in a modern city with a thriving economy. Beyond that, I don’t really comment on these things. I’ve worked under nine different mayors and they’ve all been different.
What was your initial reaction when Doug Ford suggested the Ferris wheel and mega-mall for the waterfront?
I thought it was a pretty dramatic idea and I definitely think council made the right decision by saying, “Hold on, this needs to be investigated further.” He put a big idea on the table, though, which is a good thing.
You said in a recent speech that “We don’t need to tell the tall buildings story anymore.” What did you mean?
I just meant that that horse has left the barn, so [the discussion about an excess of high-rise construction] is not a very useful debate. Tall buildings are part of the downtown core. We have hired consultants to find ideal locations for them. I think we have done a good job of setting the right priorities—quality of design, open space, opportunities for family living.
Can you pinpoint one project that you view as your greatest achievement?
I really enjoyed my early days working as a community service officer, getting to know communities and neighbourhoods and watching development on the ground. I was involved in the building of the Wallace Emerson Community Centre at Dufferin and Dupont, which is still there. In terms of more high-profile projects, I worked on Yonge-Dundas Square. I’m very proud of it.
There was some criticism that the Yonge-Dundas Square location could have been a good chance to bring some parkland into the downtown core. Was green space ever an option?
No. We made a deliberate decision that it was going to be a hard-surface piazza inspired by similar spaces in European cities. We incorporated some trees, but a park in that area wouldn’t have been able to sustain the level of traffic that walks through it every day.
Can you name an all-time favourite building in Toronto or is that like your version of Sophie’s Choice?
I wouldn’t say I have a favourite. I love City Hall, not so much as a building to work in but as a monument to the city. It is pretty iconic. There are amazing old buildings, like St. Lawrence Hall and ones that aren’t even completed yet, like the Shangri-La Hotel on University.
I gather you are also quite a fan of the underground PATH development.
I appreciate what it has done for the city. We had a delegation in from Singapore recently and they were totally fascinated by the PATH system. They said they had never seen anything like it anywhere in the world.
I’ve always thought the PATH would be the place to hide out during an end-of-days scenario.
Yes, you could certainly sustain yourself for quite some time with all the supplies under there.
And you’d have an endless supply of Hallmark cards. Do you have a holiday wish list? Any particular present you are hoping to get this year?
Oh, gosh, not much.
What about something to do once you start your retirement in March? You’ll need to find a hobby.
I’m a big music fan—I love classic rock and I’m hoping to teach myself how to play guitar.
Okay, well then, I assume you’re aware that you have the same name as the guy who wrote “Dream Weaver.”
I do know that. There’s actually a guy who I work with who has nicknamed me “Dream Weaver” because of that song.
LIGHTNING ROUND!
Horror or Western?
Western.
Obama or Bush?
Obama.
Disco or jazz?
Neither.
Queen East or Queen West?
Queen West.
Favourite local resto?
Queen Mother Café.
Favourite sport?
Lacrosse.
Dream vacation?
Loutro, Crete.
Celebrity crush?
It’s not a crush, but I love Paul McCartney.
