One Half Approve of
Rail Deck Park
More than a third agree public financing may be used
TORONTO November 16th
– In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 778
Toronto voters, one half approve of the idea of the 21 acre Rail Deck Park
downtown, despite being told it may cost $1 billion to build (51%), while just
fewer than 4-in-10 disapprove of the idea (38%). One tenth have no opinion
(10%). Approval of the park is characteristic of the youngest (57%), males
(55%) more than females (48%), the very wealthiest (59%), in the downtown
(64%), among the best educated (post grad - 57%), bicycle commuters (76%),
those who approve of John Tory (61%) and those who voted for him (59%).
Disapproval is characteristic of the oldest (48%), mid income groups ($40K to
$60K - 47%), in York (49%) and Scarborough (55%), among the least educated
(secondary school or less - 49%) and those who voted for Doug Ford (74%).
More than a third approve of public financing for park
Just more than a
third of Toronto voters agree public funds may be spent on this park (37%),
while just less than half disagree (46%). Close to one fifth don’t have an
opinion (17%). Agreement with public funding is common to younger voters (35 to
44 - 43%), males (44%) rather than females (31%), the wealthiest ($100K to
$250K - 51%), in the downtown (51%), but not in Scarborough (18%), among the
best educated (post grad - 47%), bike commuters (74%) and Olivia Chow voters
(56%), but not Doug Ford voters (18%).
Two thirds agree more downtown parkland needed
Two thirds of
Toronto voters agree Toronto needs more parkland downtown (65%), fewer than a
quarter disagree (22%) and just more than a tenth don’t share their opinion
(13%). Agreement more parkland is needed is especially strong, obviously, in
the downtown (80%), but also in East York (78% - caution: small base size).
“This is a huge vote
of confidence in this proposed park, in that voters were given the estimated
cost when they were asked their approval. It is almost impossible to poll any
expensive public works positively, but, in this case, there is such a recognized
need for green space in the core that approval is high,” said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne
Bozinoff.
Lorne Bozinoff,
Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at
lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.
