I fully realize how much like a broken record I am sounding by now, but...
the issue here is not so much the proximity to a particular "residential community" - there are lots of airports which are, or eventually will be, close to residential communities, what with the expansion of urban centres the world over. But we, here in Toronto, have a unique feature to our city: the lake Ontario waterfront.

This is not just any little lake, and Lord knows, many other cities around the world as well have put the emphasis in terms of local, regional and international attraction and worth on their waterfronts, but Lake Ontario is almost as vast and changing as a sea, it is quite unique.

At a time when we are looking for ways to "brand" our city, to distinguish ourselves from other metropolises, to adapt if not lead in how to green our cities, etc. the island airport makes no sense whatsoever.

A city airport with all its attendant nuisances wouldn't be particularly welcome, I don't think, with any of its urban neighbours, but sitting on a piece of land -- and compromising -- a key feature of what makes our city unique and beautiful beyond most other neighbourhoods is that this city airport much less popular with the residents of the city, not just those of its immediate neighbourhood.

Gabriel David