Scarborough residents concerned over plans to turn Malvern Town Centre into condo community

Residents and their local councillor are concerned about the future of a mall in Scarborough after a Toronto developer proposed to tear it down and create a condo community. 

Real estate investment and property management company Davpart Inc. submitted an application July 22 to redevelop Malvern Town Centre at 31 Tapscott Road and build 15 towers containing more than 5,700 residential units.

According to the developer's plans, it will "intensify an underutilized site" with more housing options that will complement emerging transit projects such as the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, feature a public and private street network, and create a new public park. 

But the proposed changes, according to the local councillor, are concerning to many residents.

"It's not a done deal," Scarborough North Coun. Cynthia Lai told CBC Toronto this week.

The redevelopment would mean the loss of a supermarket, a gym, several fast-food restaurants, local businesses, and office space for the TAIBU Community Health Centre, a community health organization serving Black communities in the GTA. 

"I think it's very important our constituents know what's going on, and we would not do anything without consulting with them," said Lai.

According to an email from the city of Toronto, city staff are currently reviewing the redevelopment application. A preliminary report is set to go to Scarborough Community Council in late 2022 or in 2023, with public consultation expected to follow. 

If approved, the first phase of the 10-phase plan would come with two towers 32 and 39 storeys tall on the northeast corner of the lot. The developer's plan says this would allow the mall to keep operating for the time being, and provide potential replacement retail spaces when the mall is demolished in following phases. 

Lai says she's opposed to the demolition of the entire mall and the high density of the proposed development, but would like to see an affordable housing component to the project.

"I think it's not easy to accept change, but I think we need to... work together to make sure that we manage the process, and change for the better of everybody."

TAIBU Community Health Centre executive director Liben Gebremikael says the centre has operating from the same lot as the Malvern Town Centre since 2011. He says they're still trying to find out how the potential redevelopment would impact their services.

"We have not been told a definitive answer," said Gebremikael.

The health centre is located in a community where there's no adequate support or services for many of its clients, many of which are low income and face barriers accessing health services, according to Gebremikael.