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Neighborhood News
Harbourfront, Toronto, Ontario
May, 2007
Proposed Amendments to Condo Act
York Quay Neighbourhood Association was invited by Rosario Marchese, our Member of Provincial Government, to hear about the amended Condo Act that he tabled as a private members' bill. If this sounds like a rather droll subject, it was soon apparent at this meeting (at Harbourfront Centre on April 11), that the condo Act badly needs changing. As it stands, it favours developers rather than condo owners.
Owners at this well-attended meeting came not only from our neighbourhood but from other areas of Toronto. Some had bitter stories to tell about their lack of control of their condo board and their own property. In one striking case at Fort York, the developer gained control of proxies of foreign owners, so that the condo board ended up being turned over not to the resident owners but to the developer! Imagine how much say they have in completing their new building.
Olivia Chow, our Member of Parliament, was present. She jumped in to direct the lively traffic at the microphone, and to make sure we got Marchese's message. Marchese urged us to write as soon as possible to Dalton McGuinty in support of the amended Condo Act. The bill has had two hearings, and without pressure from condo owners, it has no chance of a final hearing and a vote before summer recess. A group of YQNA condo owners is asking for a meeting with the Minister of Government Services, Gerry Phillips to further this process.
Anybody wanting to read about the new, proposed Condo Act can look at
www.rosariomarchese.ca.
Party Islands
The City's Parks Department seems bent on giving special status to the Island Parks. No other parks in Toronto can be used for commercial concerts because of the noise and other problems they create for residents. But the Islands are an exception and they could be host to a growing number of large events. We know the length and loudness of music festivals that last for days, because many Waterfront residents hear them during summer weekends - the Ryerson Picnic, Virgin Fest, Caribana, Wakestock and many more.
YQNA's Noise Committee had a meeting on April 13 at City Hall with representatives of the sailing community and TICA, the Islands' neighbourhood association, who all want noise controls in place. We asked chief inspector Stephen Miller from the City's enforcers of noise, Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS), Parks manager James Dann and our councillors to find a solution, before the Islands become party central.
Before each large music event, the promoters move in with fences, guard dogs, generators and other equipment, and work at night under bright lights to set up the stage. This happens right next to boaters at the yacht club. Their boats virtually vibrate for the 2-3 day concerts. The decibel level is subject to noise exemptions in the permits given at City Hall.
Many residents and visitors to the Waterfront are bothered by this excessive noise, which is loud enough to damage people's hearing near the concert venue. Drink tickets are sold in fives, which to YQNA invites to binge drinking. We will keep you posted on this process, as we work towards a solution that will allow all concerts, festivals, residents, boaters and visitors to enjoy the Waterfront.
New Qeens Quay buildings
Both Yonge and Jarvis streets will end at the bay with a new building.
Members of YQNA have been invited to view and assess these buildings. We began with the proposed "Symphony Place" at the foot of Jarvis by architect Jack Diamond and built by TEDCO. It'll be an office building of modest height, with an atrium in the middle and a large public space to the west (next to Redpath.)
We felt from the outset that this project could look good in Don Mills or probably many places in the city, except in this spectacular location on the water. Our concerns were repeated by the City's Advisory Committee on Planning and Design, which comments on all new, important buildings downtown. The prominent architects on this Committee asked for improvements and some were made, but the building is still not the fabulous statement we had hoped for on a revitalized Waterfront.
The next building to be presented in May will be built across from the Star building. We hope to see an innovative building that interacts with its unique environment.
Island Airport concerns
Porter Air is described in Time Magazine as a "struggling regional airline." The writer, Chris Daniels, says in the April issue that he has never seen more than 15 people -- nor had others he talked to -- on any flight to Ottawa or Montreal in planes built for 70. If Porter gets permission to fly into U.S. cities, which is uncertain, the Island Airport would have to reciprocate by offering landing rights to big North American airlines. They only fly jets, which this airport cannot accommodate.
Island resident, Bob Kotyk sent us this research:
Aviation is cited as the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases.
Short-haul flights are the worst kind, because of the frequent take-offs and landings pollute the most.
A Q400 short-haul flight from Toronto to Ottawa spews over 2,200 kg of CO2 into the atmosphere. At full capacity, each passenger is responsible for over 30 kg of CO2 emissions. The emissions per passenger in a half empty plane double to 60 kg.
A Q400 short-haul flight from Toronto to Montreal emits over 3,200 kg of CO2 into the atmosphere. It takes 4 broad leaf trees their lifetimes to remove that amount of CO2.
Ulla Colgrass
Chair, YQNA
News Archives:
September 2006
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April 2007
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