Fonds F0258 - Avenue-Bay-Cottingham Ratepayers' Association fonds

The Avenue-Bay-Cottingham Ratepayers' Association (Toronto) was established in the 1960s as an advocacy group. It operated under various designations until 1970 when it acquired its present name. In the summer of 1970, the Marlborough Avenue Ratepayers' Association, a part of the Avenue-Bay-Cottingham group, began a dispute with Marathon Realty Corporation over the building of the York Racquets Club on Marlborough Avenue. The boundaries of the dispute widened when it was learned that Marathon planned to build Summerhill Square, a combined retail and residential complex on land it owned in the area. Marathon later sold the property and the Square was not built. Jack Granatstein, a professor of history at York University, was a Director of the Avenue-Bay-Cottingham Ratepayers' Association in 1969, president in 1971, and a prime mover in the Marlborough Avenue Ratepayers' Association. His description of the dispute is contained in his book, 'Marlborough marathon: one street against a developer', (1971).

Jack Lawrence Granatstein (1939- ), is a historian, author of several works on Canadian political, defense and international relations history, and professor of history at York University. He was editor of the 'Canadian Historical Review' (1981-1984), served on several committees and jury panels, and was a staff historian at the Department of National Defense History Directorate (1964-1966). Among his many titles are, 'Bloody victory: Canadians and the D-Day campaign, 1944,' (1984), 'Pirouette: Pierre Trudeau and Canadian foreign policy,' (1990), 'Sacred trust? Brian Mulroney and the Conservatives in power,' (1986), and 'The generals: the Canadian army's senior commanders in the Second World War,' (1993). Granatstein also played a part in citizen action committees in the City of Toronto during the early 1970s, when there was a good deal of opposition to the planning and development of the city. As an official with the Avenue-Bay-Cottingham Ratepayers' Association, he was active in a battle with Marathon Realty Corp. to develop lands in that city neighbourhood. He was also involved in CORRA (Confederation of Resident and Ratepayer Associations), a body established in 1970, and served as a vice-chair of it during the period, 1973-1974. In addition, he was, by virtue of his position with CORRA, a member of the Core Area Task Force. The latter body was established in March, 1973, by the Toronto City Council, initially to respond to a planning document from the City Works Department. The Core Area Task Force included aldermen, business and community groups, and special interest groups. The task force eventually submitted a report to the city proposing the virtual elimination of automobile traffic in the city core, a system of expanded, free, public transportation, and other suggestions which were not acted on at the time.