The doors of Toronto's 130 community centres were locked on Monday as part of the city's efforts to save money amid a $575 million budget shortfall next year.
City manager Shirley Hoy announced in July that community centres would be closed on Mondays after councillors voted to defer two controversial taxes until after next month's provincial election.
Toronto's fiscal crisis has prompted sweeping cuts to municipal services. Nearly $83 million in service cuts have already been identified this year in various city departments. Other measures include delaying the opening of outdoor ice rinks.
Mayor David Miller says the land transfer tax and vehicle registration fee are important revenue tools that will help alleviate Toronto's cash crunch. The taxes could raise $350 million.
While activities and programs at community centres were closed Monday, those run by outside community groups holding special permits -- such as some swim clubs and seniors' groups -- are still on.
The decision to close community centres has sparked confusion and anger from residents and councillors, some of whom say Miller wants the closings so councillors will change their mind and approve the two taxes.
Full-time city employees were inside community centres on Monday and the lights were on, but part-time workers who run city programs won't be around.
City spokesperson Brad Ross said municipal staff were just following orders when they were told to implement cost-cutting measures.
The Monday closings, which could potentially continue until the end of the year, are expected to save the city around $500,000.
Some councillors don't see the cutbacks as a sensible cost-savings measure.
"How can you be shutting down revenue producing programs when you are still paying the staff and operating the building?" Councillor Doug Holyday told the Toronto Star.
"How could there be a true savings here? It almost seems like there was another motive."
Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong called the move to close the centres foolish.
"We are paying for all the full-time staff, all the heating and electricity costs to keep the facilities going," he told the newspaper. "We are flushing money down the toilet."
Anne-Marie Morgan was one of many angered residents who showed up at community centres to find themselves locked out.
"I'm extremely annoyed. Monday is my day off. Monday is the day I would go to fitness class and is the day that I can do something for myself and now that's been taken away," she said outside the Beaches Recreational Community Centre she's been using for two decades.
Miller, meanwhile, is trying to arrange a special council meeting later this week to hold another vote on the taxes.
A quick vote to approve the levies could re-open community centres next Monday, the mayor said last week.
With a report from CTV's Galit Solomon
