Beloved former Toronto mayor David Crombie is begging his friend, Mayor John Tory (open John Tory's policard), not to proceed with his Gardiner expressway plan, which, he says, is “tragically wrong” for future generations of Torontonians.

Crombie, 79, told reporters at city hall Monday that he has exchanged notes on the issue with Tory, who is urging councillors to vote next week to maintain the elevated Gardiner connection to the Don Valley Pkwy.

Crombie, who endorsed Tory for mayor, joined Sheldon Levy, the Ryerson University president who served on Tory’s transition team, and former Toronto chief planner Paul Bedford, urging council to tear down the east Gardiner.

“I just think (Tory)’s wrong on this issue, as its stands so far — tragically wrong — because we have such an extraordinary opportunity to create a boulevard,” between Jarvis Street and the DVP, Crombie said.

He called on Tory not to force a vote at next week’s city council meeting, but to wait for more information, on public housing implications and more, and then to seek a council consensus.

“He’s a good man and I hope he listens to what we say,” Crombie said of Tory in his first public appearance since the sudden death in April of his actor son Jonathan, 48.

The Gardiner made sense when it was built in the 1950s, but the city, people and the way they get around have changed, Crombie said, and, he added, “Shame on you!” if you don’t update your thinking for the 21st century.

“Now is the time to take the Gardiner down,” Crombie said. “If we had the same vision that (former Metro chair Fred) Gardiner had to build it, to take her now down and finish the job ... then I think I can hear Gardiner clapping.”

Tory is not wavering, his office said after the presentations, in support for the “hybrid” plan to take down the Gardiner only east of the Don River, leading to Logan Ave., and to build new ramps at Cherry St.

Tory spokeswoman Amanda Galbraith said in an email: “Despite today’s presentation, severing the link between the DVP and the Gardiner would have significant negative impacts not only in how the people of Toronto get around the city, but also how goods and materials are moved and in overall productivity.”

A city-Waterfront Toronto study estimated full removal would cost $461 million long-term and make commutes two to three minutes longer than partial removal, while a University of Toronto study said the delay could be as much as 10 minutes.

They hybrid option is forecast to cost $919 million long-term.

Levy, who has been lauded for integrating Ryerson’s campus into the downtown core, said: “Choosing people before cars ... is in the best interests of our city.”

Hours after the morning news conference, however, the push to tear down the Gardiner was dealt a blow when Toronto’s public health committee voted not to forward to council a report by the medical officer of health.

The report looks at the environmental assessment through the lens of health and concludes the removal option is best for Torontonians.

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Several health board members, however, said cars sitting in gridlock would increase pollution. They worried that removing the expressway would harm the economy, and, by extension, residents’ health.

Councillors will still be able to cite the report during council debate, but medical officer of health Dr. David McKeown will not present his findings or take questions on them at next week’s debate.

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