(This letter was written to Councillor Adam Vaughan with copies to Mayor Miller and John Piper, the mayor's Waterfront advisior. Bob Rasmussen has not received a reply.)
Dear Adam,
Thanks very much for attending the event at the Island Airport terminal last week. Unfortunately, I was at the doctor and therefore unable to join you.
Also, thank you for writing your excellent letter to the National Post (posted April 29th) http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=1544794
What can we do, as a neighbourhood association, working with you, to help all Torontonians understand that the Island Airport is not just a NIMBY issue? As a resident in Harbour Square, I can escape by moving to another city or location. However, my moving will neither solve, nor reverse, the coming destruction of Toronto’s Waterfront as an important recreation centre for all Toronto citizens and a destination for tourists.
Tourists do not come to watch airplanes. This past weekend, my wife and I hosted four guests from Princeton New Jersey. They flew to Toronto on Continental from Newark through Pearson Airport, even though we live on Queens Quay. They took public transportation from the airport to Queens Quay! While they did not complain about the multiple steps and extended time to get to Queens Quay, they would have been more impressed with Toronto, as a destination, if there had been a rapid connection to Union Station and a PATH from Union Station to (for example) the York Ramp Parkette. These are friends who are sophisticated worldwide tourists. They expect high speed connections from an international airport to a city centre.
As we sat in our condo, with the windows closed on a hot day, to reduce the airplane noise, they commented on the first plane to go by our window. Then the next. And, the next. Eventually, they asked why Toronto is allowing commercial flights to land in the prime city recreation centre. What could I say? I had no satisfactory answer. Their astonishment continued over the next couple days when we walked along Harbourfront and spent a morning on the Islands.
Where does the Tourism Toronto body stand on the airport? Is it supporting the airport as a connection or fighting the airport as detrimental to tourism? I ask the same question for HarbourFront.
Can you, or Mayor Miller, present the case for the Waterfront as a Toronto tourism jewel to the Empire Club or the Canadian Club? Influential business leaders need to understand the airport issue is not a spoiled Bathurst Quay, Queens Quay and Toronto Island residents’ issue. The newspapers are against, or turning against, preserving the Waterfront for all of Toronto. They are being swayed by moneyed commuters and advertisers.
This issue must be dealt with as a city issue, not a NIMBY issue.
I look forward to your comments and suggestions.
Regards,
Robert (Bob) Rasmussen
Planning and Development Committee
York Quay Neighbourhood Association (YQNA)
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