Gardiner report has been hidden

   (Dave Agar/Bob Komsic/John Elston CFRB News)  It's a question that has been hanging over Toronto like a dark cloud for years...what do we do with the Gardiner Expressway?

    The Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation look at that political hot potato and submitted a report to the city two years ago.  The report has never been made public.  Critics say Mayor David Miller and company have held it back for political reasons, not wanting to deal with it before the election. 

    Mayor David Miller says the report shouldn't be released until the costs of all options are figured out.   Questioned at an unrelated event this morning, he said, "As Mayor I cannot bring something to Council that doesn't have a financial plan and I've asked some hard questions.  I've said for several years, if we can take down the part of the Gardiner that's up in the vicinity of where the waterfront revitalization is; east of Yonge Street, it'll be a great thing.  But we have to know the land value it would create.  We have to know who's going to pay for it?  How's it going to be paid for?  Those questions haven't been answered".   That's not expected to be done until next year.   

    Mayoralty challenger, Councillor Jane Pitfield, says she'll make this a key issue in her campaign.  She told CFRB News, "I will pledge to the people of Toronto that the Gardiner Expressway will not come down.  We should continue to maintain it.  We need to ensure in the end that the decision is made by the people of Toronto and not our city Council, where lobbying and arm twisting takes place.  I think it deserves being voted on as a referendum question, let's say, in the election for 2010 but not before that".   

    Those who use the Gardiner agree on one thing, the Expressway cannot be left as it is now.  Motorists, who just got off of it, told CFRB News either get rid of it, "They've done it in Boston right?  It's going to cost some bucks (to bury it) but I think the city's worth it" or at least modify it, maybe update some ramps, "getting rid of it I don't think is the answer".  

    The four apparent options for the Gardiner are to leave it as is, take it all down,  take down part of it,  or rebuild some downtown ramps.   Experts say extending Front Street is also important.