TORONTO, November 11, 1997 -- York University President Dr. Lorna Marsden offered hearty congratulations to new Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman -- and a gentle reminder about his commitment to help bring a subway to York University.

"I want to congratulate the new Mayor -- a York graduate by way of his honourary degree last spring -- on his victory, and offer best wishes to another York graduate, outgoing Toronto Mayor Barbara Hall," said Marsden. "And I look forward to working with Mayor Lastman to help him keep his commitment to work for an extension of the Spadina line to York University, a move that makes good economic, environmental and social policy," she said.

Last September during his campaign for Mayor of the new City of Toronto, Lastman joined Marsden and student leaders at the Downsview subway station, pledging to lobby the private sector and the provincial and federal governments to support the extension of the Spadina line to the York University Keele campus.

"There will be many worthwhile projects that deserve to be priorities for the new City of Toronto. And we will have to work to find creative -- and new -- ways to finance them. But a good public transit system can be the ribbon that binds together a city and its people," said Marsden, adding that pending developments on the former Downsview Military Base will provide new demands and ridership for the extension.

Almost 9,000 members of the York community (about 19 %) take the TTC, and that's without a subway line taking them directly onto campus. A survey by the Institute for Social Research at York University suggests that a more convenient and quicker mode of transportation would convert many car trips to TTC rides. There are currently -- at peak -- almost 35,000 vehicles which come onto the Keele campus every day.

"A subway to York University would boost the current 85,000 TTC trips per week taken by York's students, faculty and staff. That would mean more money for the TTC. Relief from traffic congestion on campus. And remember the environmental imperative, an imperative that has extra urgency given recent reports about the deteriorating air quality of our city," she said.

Marsden said she hoped to meet soon with the new Mayor and City Council to discuss how York University can work with them on this, and other important issues. "How do we find solutions to existing and emerging problems in this new city, such as the need for improved public transportation, for better co-ordination of youth employment strategies and for recognition of the role that universities can play in economic and community development?"

For more information, please contact:

Sine MacKinnon
Senior Advisor for Media Relations
(416) 736-2100, ext. 22087
email: sinem@yorku.ca
YU/098/97