Waves on the Waterfront
From NOW Magazine
Waves on the waterfront
By Enzo Di Matteo
If you walk Queens Quay on a still Monday evening, it’s hard to think of the waterfront as being in crisis.
More than anything it’s a symbol of what a livable city we could be, even with the drone of planes in the background from nearby nemesis the Island airport.
A few of the 100 or so locals in attendance at a meeting Monday night, June 7, at Harbourfront Community Centre to discuss waterfront issues fired the predictable slings at the Toronto Port Authority and its broken promises to deal with Porter Airlines planes landing well after the 11 pm curfew.
Some Tory appointees on the TPA board seem to be among those concerned.
They’re the ones leaking the info to airport foes CommunityAIR.
There’s relief over Porter’s surprise move to defer its public stock offering. The company cited “market forces” for its decision. Local councillor Adam Vaughan says it proves what CommunityAIR has been saying all along: that a
waterfront airport is not economically viable.
The number of flights could double with the possible arrival of Jazz in the fall, but Vaughan doesn’t believe that’s a given.
He raised a more ominous prospect, saying the airport could pose a security risk during the upcoming G20 summit and should be shut down.
But the TPA intends to continue operations.
Says TPA chair Mark McQueen, “We are working well with the RCMP and the Marine Police, who are very much on top of things. Councillor Vaughan’s anti-airport agenda is well known, but since he’s a member of the Toronto Police Services Board, I’m surprised he doesn’t have the same confidence in their capabilities that I do.”
Among the other hot-button issues raised: Metrolinx’s plan to run diesel trains on the rail link from Union Station to Pearson Airport, threatening to add more pollution to the existing noise and fumes from the Island airport.
The good news: work is under way to connect Dan Leckie Way from Queens Quay to the core through the City Place development.
However, a highly anticipated project to green Queens Quay with a pedestrian/bike-way has seemingly run out of cash.
Only half the $90 million or so needed for the conversion is available.
Published: 06/09/2010; Volume: 29; Number: 41
Source URL: www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=175411 />
NOTE:
It’s a good thing that Chairman McQueen has confidence in the Police Services Board. He can’t have much confidence in his own board when members are leaking are leaking info to Community AIR.
Bob Kotyk
Waves on the waterfront
By Enzo Di Matteo
If you walk Queens Quay on a still Monday evening, it’s hard to think of the waterfront as being in crisis.
More than anything it’s a symbol of what a livable city we could be, even with the drone of planes in the background from nearby nemesis the Island airport.
A few of the 100 or so locals in attendance at a meeting Monday night, June 7, at Harbourfront Community Centre to discuss waterfront issues fired the predictable slings at the Toronto Port Authority and its broken promises to deal with Porter Airlines planes landing well after the 11 pm curfew.
Some Tory appointees on the TPA board seem to be among those concerned.
They’re the ones leaking the info to airport foes CommunityAIR.
There’s relief over Porter’s surprise move to defer its public stock offering. The company cited “market forces” for its decision. Local councillor Adam Vaughan says it proves what CommunityAIR has been saying all along: that a
waterfront airport is not economically viable.
The number of flights could double with the possible arrival of Jazz in the fall, but Vaughan doesn’t believe that’s a given.
He raised a more ominous prospect, saying the airport could pose a security risk during the upcoming G20 summit and should be shut down.
But the TPA intends to continue operations.
Says TPA chair Mark McQueen, “We are working well with the RCMP and the Marine Police, who are very much on top of things. Councillor Vaughan’s anti-airport agenda is well known, but since he’s a member of the Toronto Police Services Board, I’m surprised he doesn’t have the same confidence in their capabilities that I do.”
Among the other hot-button issues raised: Metrolinx’s plan to run diesel trains on the rail link from Union Station to Pearson Airport, threatening to add more pollution to the existing noise and fumes from the Island airport.
The good news: work is under way to connect Dan Leckie Way from Queens Quay to the core through the City Place development.
However, a highly anticipated project to green Queens Quay with a pedestrian/bike-way has seemingly run out of cash.
Only half the $90 million or so needed for the conversion is available.
Published: 06/09/2010; Volume: 29; Number: 41
Source URL: www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=175411
NOTE:
It’s a good thing that Chairman McQueen has confidence in the Police Services Board. He can’t have much confidence in his own board when members are leaking are leaking info to Community AIR.
Bob Kotyk
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