August 20, 2025
73-Year-Old Builds Stairs for $550 That City Said Would Cost $65,000
Toronto Man’s DIY Stairs Cost Just $550—Meanwhile City Quoted $65,000 for the Same Job It started with a price tag that felt like a punch in the gut. In Tom Riley Park, seniors were struggling to climb a steep embankment that led to a path. They’d stumble, they’d fall. It wasn’t a grand staircase or a landmark project—it was a simple way to make the park safe again. But when the city quoted CAD 65,000 to CAD 150,000 for that small fix, it left everyone bewildered. That number didn’t add up. How could a set of wooden steps, built to
