Toronto's battle over stairs

Photo: CTV

The City of Toronto has taken down a set of stairs built in a park by a local man who took it upon himself to help area residents get down a steep embankment.

Coun. Justin Di Ciano, who represents the man's ward, says the man built the stairs for $550 after first asking the city to do so.

Di Ciano says the city quoted the man a price of between $65,000 and $150,000 for the stairs.

He says that's when the man decided to go ahead and construct the structure himself.

A spokesman for the city's parks department says the stairs had to come down because they were unsafe.

The city says it will be installing a new set of stairs in the area.

Toronto Mayor John Tory says the city's original cost estimate for the stairs in Tom Riley Park was "absolutely ridiculous."

He says new stairs that will be built by the city will be "safe, durable and reasonably priced."