January 23, 2007

Waterfront

East Bayfront faces more opposition

Studio claims process is 'scandalous'

BRIAN BAKER

staff writer

The East Bayfront development has stepped on some more toes with a second group howling over their eviction to make way for the waterfront development project.

Cinespace Film Studios president Steve Mirkopoulos says he is exasperated at the “scandalous” actions of the Toronto Economic Development Corporation (TEDCO) about the lack of time given to them to find an alternate location.

He says he was given only two months to vacate – a charge TEDCO rejects.

Mirkopoulos said that he knew the development was coming but Cinespace did not officially receive notice until December 12, when they were given two months to leave.

“The film industry is losing 140,000 square feet of studio space with no replacement in place,” said Mirkopoulos. “It’s a huge shortage of studio space in the city of Toronto for at least a year. This is a bunch of nonsense. It’s idiotic, it’s stupid. The film industry is a big, big loser and the reason for that is the Toronto Economic Development Corporation.”

TEDCO President and CEO Jeffrey Steiner was swift in dismissing the fiery allegations made by Cinespace.

“The idea that the waterfront is being revitalized and redevelopment is occurring is no surprise to anybody. It’s been talked about for years,” said Steiner. “But, specifically, Cinespace got more than one year’s notice, and when they didn’t leave after one year that’s when we gave them another notice, and of course they choose to pretend that they only got two months notice which is absolutely untrue. It’s on that basis they run around scaring the industry and that’s what creates the petition.”

Over 5,500 signatures have been added to an International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and 30 letters from industry professionals, including Don Carmody, producer of the movie Chicago, have been sent to Mayor David Miller’s office.

Cinespace Studios expressed concern that the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation (TWRC) only needs the land for Sherbourne Park development by the end of August and that the request for their departure in February is premature.

The foot of Jarvis Street is the first phase in the waterfront revitalization process, where it is expected that TEDCO will start tendering the project in early spring to environmentally test the site.

“The fact that they have to leave is because of where they are and not who they are,” added Steiner.

The next step is to contract the demolition work out by late summer as TEDCO looks to excavate the former studio site for underground parking and Sherbourne Park.

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