Airport Expansion and quality of life
Joe:
I can't see how you can make the
argument that
NEF contours will save us from the impact of the Island Airport
expansion.
Do the math. 212 slots divided by the
number
of minutes that the Island Airport is open means that there will be a
take-off
and landing every 4.6 minutes. You know that every commercial airport
has
more activity in the mornings and evenings. That means we can expect
that
there will be one flight after another in those peak periods. It also
means that there will be periods in the middle of the day when there
might be a
flight only every fifteen minutes or more. That will be a welcome
relief,
but at the busiest times of the day the noise and pollution from the
airport
will be overwhelming, making the neighbourhoods around the airport
intolerable.
Joe, you claim that the NEF contours
will be our
savior. I only wish that was true. Tell me, why is the Toronto Port
Authority aggressively pushing for 212 slots even to the point that they
are
defying previous limits to the slots put on the airport? Now we have a
fight between Porter and Air Canada over the allocation of those slots.
That can only mean that both airlines want and need the slots and will
use
them once they are allocated.
Unfortunately, I have come to the
conclusion that
the NEF contour studies, that are to limit the number of flights based
on
noise studies, are based on sham science, at least in this instance. My
impression is that the Toronto Port Authority is bent on expanding the
Island
Airport to its absolute limit. "Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead,"
is
their motto. They have shown no concern for the people in the
neighbourhood.
Finally, just a quick response to Mike
Miller. Mike, you should come down to Bathurst and Queen's Quay for a
time
and see what the expanded airport has done to this community. Not
only are there sudden bursts of loud noise from aircraft taking-off and
landing, that come at unpredictable times, but there are frequent engine
run-ups that disturb the peace. The smell of kerosene from the aircraft
permeates the air.
The line up of taxis has become a huge
problem. Some taxis speed down the streets to the terminal delivering a
passenger. Others sit idling their engines, poisoning the air with
exhaust. This is a neighbourhood with children. There are two
schools, a day care centre and a community centre at the corner of
Bathurst and
Queen's Quay. Hundreds of people are out jogging every day. Little
Norway Park is heavily used for recreation. There are three yacht clubs
in
the near vicinity and the Island Park is just over the fence. This is a
heavily populated area of the city and the densities are expanding
rapidly as
new condos are opening in the Railway Lands and along Fleet Street. The
airport is on the Waterfront and adjacent to the lake, harbour and
Island Park,
long the favourite recreation venue for Torontonians.
And Mike the complaints are not coming
from
the Islanders. There are a few Islanders involved in
CommunityAIR, but the largest group complaining about the noise and
air pollution come from Bathurst Quay and the condo dwellers along the
Waterfront. This group is just getting organized. When that
happens the outrage and anger will dwarf the protests of the past. That
is
my prediction.
Is it wrong for people to fight for
their community
-- to point out that their quality of life has deteriorated drastically
with
airport expansion? I don't think so. I expect that if you and your
neighbours experienced something similar you would be up in arms as
well.
The accusation of NIMBY is an attempt to dismiss the legitimate concerns
that
people have for their community and their quality of life.
If you want to make the argument that
the airport
should stay because it is convenient for you and your friends, I will
disagree,
but I can accept that as a legitimate point of view. But don't dismiss
the
opposition because they are complainers.
Bill Freeman
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