By Brian Burchell

Intensive construction work has resumed on the athletic field at Central Technical School and it appears that the new artificial turf, track, and seasonal dome will be completed on schedule.

The president of Razor Management Inc., which is rehabilitating the field and will operate the new facility under an agreement with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), said he hopes the work will be finished by August, even though the contract gives the company until September 1.

“However, we have advised the TDSB that we will not be entering into a shared-use agreement for the corner of Bathurst and Harbord streets, or make the improvements along Bathurst Street [the western flank of the field] given the tax issue,” said Razor’s president Mathew Raizenne.

These improvements were part of the terms of the mediated settlement negotiated at the Ontario Municipal Board, a settlement that was contingent on the agreement of all the parties. Raizenne said he is disinclined to participate now that his company is subject to an annual tax charge of $25,000 on what he believes is in effect public land in 100 per cent public use.

This is but the latest development in a story that has gone on for over four years. Earlier this year, Razor halted construction upon receiving an unexpected property tax bill in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, relating to back taxes for the facility it operates at Monarch Park Collegiate Institute. The company had been told to expect similar tax rates for the Central Tech field once that facility was up and running, and Razor downed tools in protest.

Razor has since decided to proceed with construction while it appeals the commercial tax assessment at the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation. Razor has also asked the TDSB to categorize the field as for public education use, which would exempt it from the MPAC assessment. To date, the TDSB has not done this, though the students will be using the facilities during school hours for TDSB programming.

READ MORE ABOUT CENTRAL TECH FIELD:

 LETTERS: HVRA still on board for CTS plan (March 2016)

EDITORIAL: Ship to wreck (February 2016)

Construction halted at Central Tech: Student athletes launch online petition by Marielle Torrefranca (February 2016)

Agreement reached for Central Tech field (April 2015) by Annemarie Brissenden

To dome or not to dome, that is the question (February 2015) by Terri Chu

Editorial: Mobs don’t rule, nor do pawns (February 2015)

Dome plan inches closer (February 2015) by Brian Burchell

School board appeals ruling and loses, again (October 2014) by Brian Burchell

Editorial: A strategy run amok (September 2014)

Dome plan quashed by courts (September 2014) by Brian Burchell

Raucous meeting on CTS field (April 2014) by Annemarie Brissenden

READ MORE ABOUT CENTRAL TECH:

Central Tech alumni return to mark school’s centennial (November 2015) by Annemarie Brissenden

Central Tech celebrates 100 years (July 2015) by Annemarie Brissenden

Aircraft program grounded in 2004 (July 2015) by Annemarie Brissenden