A city we want to live in
John
Can we be coming to a consensus here? We all agree that the Island Airport is disrupting the Waterfront by introducing pollution, noise, traffic congestion and safety hazards. (Actually Joe doesn't agree. He thinks the Island Airport poses no threat to our quality of life.) Our only difference is that you believe that we should put up with an expanded Island Airport for the sake of our transportation needs, that we should "compromise" to use your word, and members of CommunityAIR firmly reject that point of view.
Our position is that we need to fight for the quality of life of all of the neighbourhoods in the city. It is our obligation as citizens. I live on the Waterfront and I have come to understand that it is a jewel for all of the people of Toronto. We have to support and fight for it. The Waterfront is not only an area of great beauty, open for everyone to enjoy, it is located in the virtual heart of the city, ringed with parks and high density neighbourhoods. Billions of dollars are being spent to rejuvenate the Waterfront and it, along with the bay, Lake Ontario and the Islands are becoming the primary recreational attraction of the city.
There is no comparison between the location of Pearson and the Island Airport. Pearson has an enormous footprint that is several times larger than the Island Airport. Surrounding the Pearson Airport footprint are industries. Unfortunately politicians like Hazel McCallion in Mississauga have allowed a number of communities to be built, but those communities do not have the density of the neighbourhoods that are in close -- very close -- proximity to the Island Airport.
John, we cannot have transportation needs dictate to us. The quality of life of our city is precious; in fact it is one of Toronto's most important resources. We cannot allow pollution to rain down on our children, or have the noise of air planes disrupt thousands even hundreds of thousands of people. Let's build cities for people not airplanes. We need parks, recreational facilities, transit, cultural facilities and safe neighbourhoods. What we need are high speed trains that connect our cities in a non-polluting way and reduce air traffic, not larger and larger airports in the centre of cities.
Things can change and we can create a truly beautiful city. I firmly believe that and that is why I am in this fight to close the Island Airport. I will never accept a "compromise" that lets a polluting unsafe airport remain smack dab in the centre of the City of Toronto. That is not the sort of city any of us want to live in.
Bill Freeman
Can we be coming to a consensus here? We all agree that the Island Airport is disrupting the Waterfront by introducing pollution, noise, traffic congestion and safety hazards. (Actually Joe doesn't agree. He thinks the Island Airport poses no threat to our quality of life.) Our only difference is that you believe that we should put up with an expanded Island Airport for the sake of our transportation needs, that we should "compromise" to use your word, and members of CommunityAIR firmly reject that point of view.
Our position is that we need to fight for the quality of life of all of the neighbourhoods in the city. It is our obligation as citizens. I live on the Waterfront and I have come to understand that it is a jewel for all of the people of Toronto. We have to support and fight for it. The Waterfront is not only an area of great beauty, open for everyone to enjoy, it is located in the virtual heart of the city, ringed with parks and high density neighbourhoods. Billions of dollars are being spent to rejuvenate the Waterfront and it, along with the bay, Lake Ontario and the Islands are becoming the primary recreational attraction of the city.
There is no comparison between the location of Pearson and the Island Airport. Pearson has an enormous footprint that is several times larger than the Island Airport. Surrounding the Pearson Airport footprint are industries. Unfortunately politicians like Hazel McCallion in Mississauga have allowed a number of communities to be built, but those communities do not have the density of the neighbourhoods that are in close -- very close -- proximity to the Island Airport.
John, we cannot have transportation needs dictate to us. The quality of life of our city is precious; in fact it is one of Toronto's most important resources. We cannot allow pollution to rain down on our children, or have the noise of air planes disrupt thousands even hundreds of thousands of people. Let's build cities for people not airplanes. We need parks, recreational facilities, transit, cultural facilities and safe neighbourhoods. What we need are high speed trains that connect our cities in a non-polluting way and reduce air traffic, not larger and larger airports in the centre of cities.
Things can change and we can create a truly beautiful city. I firmly believe that and that is why I am in this fight to close the Island Airport. I will never accept a "compromise" that lets a polluting unsafe airport remain smack dab in the centre of the City of Toronto. That is not the sort of city any of us want to live in.
Bill Freeman
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