Art Eggleton - As Mayor of Toronto

As Mayor of Toronto

In 1980, he ran against mayor John Sewell, and was elected. During his time as Mayor, the City moved forward on implementing its new official plan which resulted in several new significant buildings in the downtown west, or railway lands area - the Convention Centre, Skydome, the CBC Broadcast Centre, to name a few. The City administration under his leadership also produced a record level of social housing projects for low income people; 50 acres (200,000 m2) of new parks; innovative new responses to the problems of the homeless and emotionally troubled with projects like Street City, the Singles Housing Opportunities Program, and the Gernsteins Centre. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund and other environmental programs that resulted in the City receiving a United Nations award. He established the Mayor's Committee on Community and Race Relations to help bring about the successful integration of people from different cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. In 1985, he withstood a challenge from city councillor Anne Johnston, a fellow Liberal, who ran against Eggleton for the mayoralty in that year's civic election. He retired from municipal politics in 1991 as the longest serving mayor in Toronto history. In recognition of his service to the City, Mr. Eggleton received Toronto's highest honour, the Civic Award of Merit in 1992.