Historic Osgoode Hall trees spared by interim injunction — for now

Several historic trees at Osgoode Hall in Toronto’s downtown have been spared after Metrolinx paused its plans to axe them to build transit infrastructure after an interim court order.

The reprieve could be brief, lasting only until Feb. 10.

On Saturday, representatives of the Law Society of Ontario, housed at Osgoode Hall by University Avenue and Queen Street, and Metrolinx, in the midst of constructing the Ontario Line, met in a virtual courtroom.

The court link to the online hearing was made available and accessible to the public, and several Zoom bombing outbursts delayed it. As the interruptions continued, Sarit Batner, representing Metrolinx, argued “something has to give with the porn and obscenities.”

Eventually, the court hearing moved to a webinar link, and, on Sunday morning, the Law Society of Ontario announced its request for an interim injunction had been granted. It will remain in effect until midnight on Feb. 10, unless it is extended.

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In its statement, Metrolinx said it had met with the law society 17 times “to avoid unnecessary delays that will cause significant financial consequences to taxpayers and commuters.”

The provincial transit agency’s plans to remove several trees on the grounds of Osgood Hall to accommodate the construction of a station on its planned Ontario Line have raised concerns from vocal advocates.

The location of the proposed subway station, Osgoode Hall, is the oldest continuously used institutional property in Toronto and it, along with its 1867 heritage fence and the grounds surrounding it, are designated under the Ontario Heritage Act and have been recognized as one of Canada’s most significant heritage assets.

The Ontario Line is slated to run from the Ontario Science Centre to Ontario Place, connecting the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, GO Transit and both Line 1 and Line 2 of the Toronto subway.

— with files from Global News’ Matthew Bingley