Not An Inch On Finch Poem by Deanna Samuels

How could a City Council not foretell its growth
With so many obvious signs right in front of all eyes
The extension up to Finch stopped there almost 40 years ago
The plaque clearly states that fact, the date - 29th March 1979
Listing Mel Lastman as Mayor, four Controllers and fourteen Aldermen
Since then, not one inch on Finch has been extended from that day
And this is true at the other end at Downsview
What were the City Council doing in all that time
Allowing new developments to be built north of that line
Not extending the subway before each division was planned out
The negligence appears quite unparalleled without doubt
Budgets should have been set up for such contingency
Developers contributing to the cost of expansion
During those past 40 years, it could and should have been a no brainer
Yet, not one inch was laid north on the Finch sub-line
As each new development grew, chaos took over upon the roads
Congestion increased 10 fold to pool travelers to mid-town
Ferrying to the Finch sub-way to travel to down town
Why weren't bells ringing and dinging ten, twenty, thirty years ago
The obvious growth becoming worse and uncontrollable
During those years, it would have been less difficult to extend the line
The years went by and still no progress
Not an inch was laid further on Finch sub-track
Divisions kept growing without control
Council willy-nilly stamping the developer's plan
Not recognizing the congestion without new road infrastructure
Divisions kept growing, infills on every square yard of land
Stretching past Steeles and deep into Richmond Hill and beyond
Congestion so chronic, main local arteries clogged as a parking lot
Hours lost standing stationery, exhaust fumes spouting out
City and town officialdom have already let two generations down
Allowing developers to build ad infinitum, uncontrolled
Without adequate vital transport system being met
And yet, they are the ones in receipt of undeserved fat pensions
While the people of Toronto struggle with inadequate gear
And still not an inch on Finch
But wait - at last forty or so years on - a wake-up call
Big talk of subway extensions around the town
Some expensive and disruptive band aids as interim help
But all planned above the ground
Bringing with it more chaos, noise, more congestion
As main busy roads ripped up and laid to new lanes
Town noise By-Laws disregarded with grant of long term special permits
Whole neighborhoods deprived of a good night's sleep
While cranes and diggers work the hours from late eve to 7am
Even with all that interim work planned, it is not envisaged
That subway extension will go beyond Yonge and Seven
And not be in place for another twenty years or more
Meaning, yet another generation will be let down
And still, not an inch on Finch
Money, as usual is always spouted as being short
But true visionary plans and developers compulsory involvement
Would have avoided this vast gridlocked GTA scene
With Toronto's subways the pride of the town
But, in reality, from March ‘79 to December 2016
Not an inch on Finch has been built

(Written at Richmond Hill, Ontario - 6th December 2016