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Neighborhood News
Harbourfront, Toronto, Ontario
October, 2006
 Communicating
So many interesting developments are happening in our neighbourhood, and residents are often invited to give opinions and ideas in meetings that shape our neighbourhood. It's a challenge to get invitations to residents on Queens Quay, and YQNA has heard from some who were upset to have missed an event.
Our HarbourSide management is helpful by posting relevant flyers, so we urge residents to look in the mailroom and on the security desks.
YQNA is making arrangements with all 11 condo boards in our area along Queens Quay to get all invitations posted in their buildings.
Tour Bus Parking
YQNA has asked the city repeatedly to provide bus parking to alleviate our Queens Quay problems. The new parking lot at 16 York Street across from the upcoming Maple Leaf Square will have a section that can accommodate 15 buses. Both sites are owned by Lanterra. The new bus spaces are earmarked for special events, so we asked Harbourfront Centre to make sure that they will include their tourist buses.
While visiting the swimming pool at 33 Harbour Square, a HarbourSide resident took a photo of the fabulous city view. Three large pools of water reflected in the black surface of the new parking lot. Not a good situation, especially when the frost sets in. So the photo was sent to our city planner, who found out that pooling happens because the lot is not connected to the storm water system. Perhaps the lot is not graded properly. This will be resolved before the owner of the lot gets the final permits in place.
Island Airport
This is a true ferry tale:
Puffs of theatrical smoke clouded the recent launch of the new ferry that will carry passengers from Bathurst Quay to the expanded Island Airport. Unfortunately, the captain lost his bearings in smoke, and the ferry drifted away in the currents and wind of the Western Gap. What should have been a smooth one-minute crossing ended up lasting 28 minutes. The ferry twirled around and bumped and scratched against the sea wall, the captain suffered anxiety, and the prominent guests onboard got jostled, but no one was hurt.
Porter Airline has announced ten flights to Ottawa, starting October 23rd. It remains to be seen if Porter can create a flourishing business in an airport where so many companies have failed before.
Noise Problems
YQNA is still working to solve the problem of overly loud concerts from Harbourfront Centre. At 95 decibels or more at source, they exceed the maximum levels that are safe for people's hearing. The thumping sounds are carried by huge parabolic speakers into people's homes in buildings north and west of the open stage. Harbourfront Centre's management is sympathetic and has managed to control the decibel level during the first month of concerts for the past two summers. That means it can be done.
The noise committee of YQNA wants noise bylaws enforced. On Oct. 4, we had a meeting with the director of investigation of Municipal Licensing Standards and an area noise inspector. They didn't know noise was a problem on the Waterfront, even though complaints have been made about concerts and tour boats for years. We gave them a 10-year 'noise history' of our area, the good with the bad, which shows that residents are paying attention and not just complaining.
A new noise bylaw is in the works and it might offer a solution. If passed by council, it would guarantee peace and privacy from amplified noise throughout the city. We hope this problem will be resolved by spring, so neither YQNA nor Harbourfront Centre needs to waste more time on this issue.
Ulla Colgrass
Chair, YQNA
 UPDATE ON THE GARDINER EXPRESSWAY
By Braz Menezes
The Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation (TWRC) has released the details of yet another Consultant's report on the future of the Gardiner/Lake Shore Corridor. The options are: burying it, taking it to grade, or giving it a major cosmetic facelift to keep it going for a few more decades.
According to the TWRC, determining the future of the Gardiner/Lake Shore Corridor is important to waterfront revitalization from both a transportation and city building perspective. We all surely agree with such a generic statement.
The city is now conducting a thorough analysis of the plan. The next steps include complete public consultations in the Winter 2007, followed by a report to City Council in the Winter/Spring 2007. If the city decides to proceed with improvements to the corridor, an environmental assessment will be required before any improvements can be started. The next stage, whatever plan is adopted except keeping it as is, will take about five years.
So we are looking at a minimum of seven to ten years and a total cost of between one and two billion dollars. Wake up everybody and stop dreaming!
Given the city's weak financial projections in the foreseeable future, the complexity of municipal governance in City Hall, and the lukewarm support from other levels of government to Toronto's needs, little is likely to happen.
YQNA has consistently stated that the Gardiner is no longer the eyesore it once was, because of the many new condos that screen it. The City and TWRC should devote more effort to extending the PATH and other north-south safe pedestrian walkways to the waterfront.
The city lacks an overall transportation vision. It should address the Gardiner/Lakeshore corridor while at the same time improving public transit, bicycle and pedestrian routes. Road pricing (toll road and parking access charges) and incentives (affordable improved public transport) will resolve most problems without killing off the city's economic vitality.
Meanwhile, let's work on those improved pedestrian and bike connections immediately.
News Archives:
September 2006
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