And the noise continues and continues and contin...
Last night they were doing engine run ups at the Island Airport until the early morning. This evening, about 8:00 pm, I was out for a walk, and they were still at it. It was more than a hum from the airport. It was a constant barrage of noise.
So what is causing all the noise? Surprise, suprise, Porter now has 24 planes and Robert Deluce recently said the airline was adding another two to their fleet this month. Air Canada has two Q400 operating out of the Island. Add it up. That makes 26 now and 28 by the end of November. Oh, and Mr. Deluce has happily informed us that Porter is so successful that we are going to be rewarded by even more planes in the future. Lucky us.
There can be no secret where all of the noise is coming from. With all the take-offs and landings and with the engine run-ups required by regulations, it is inevitable that there will be unbearable noise. They are big engines, folks, and they make a lot of noise.
Oh, and they create air pollution too. You can't hear that, can't see it, but we all know that air pollution is raining down on the Waterfront from the planes operating out of the Island. Pollution is as inevitable as the noise. You will remember, no doubt, that most of the pollution from a plane is on take-off and landing because that is when the energy is needed to get the aircraft up in the air or to slow its descent. That is why short-haul flights, the specialty of Porter and the Air Canada planes at the Island Airport, are so polluting.
What can we do? Well, one thing we have learned is complaining to the Toronto Port Authority is useless. They have never attempted to control the noise or pollution of the airport. You might as well post your complaint in the sky. But then let's give them a break. It is an airport, and until it turns into something different the aircraft that operate out of it are going to create noise and air pollution. That is the nature of the beast.
Unfortunately we have learned that the Toronto Port Authority is not there to protect the public interest. No, no. They are there to run an airport. They are an agency that provides a buffer between the people and the government. It is a clever trick. The TPA is set up to give the appearance that the government is regulating the airport in the public interest while in fact they do little more than receive public complaints. The people who thought up things like "public consultations" and "advisory boards" and "send your complaints to us," sure are smart. You've got to give them credit.
Then again, you can't blame them. What can they do? It is an airport after all. It just happens to be in the centre of the most densely populated city in Canada. That, as they say, is as smart as a bag of hammers. But let's face it; that is the problem, folks. Unless we do something about this airport in the centre of our community, our Waterfront and our city then we are all going to suffer. So in conclusion, I propose the following resolution.
WHEREAS, the number of aircraft operating out of the Island Airport cause intolerable noise and air pollution for thousands of people, degrading the quality of life in our communities, our Waterfront, and our city.
BE IT RESOLVED, that we close the Island Airport.
All in favour?
Carried!
Thank you. Reason has finally prevailed in Toronto. Bill Freeman
So what is causing all the noise? Surprise, suprise, Porter now has 24 planes and Robert Deluce recently said the airline was adding another two to their fleet this month. Air Canada has two Q400 operating out of the Island. Add it up. That makes 26 now and 28 by the end of November. Oh, and Mr. Deluce has happily informed us that Porter is so successful that we are going to be rewarded by even more planes in the future. Lucky us.
There can be no secret where all of the noise is coming from. With all the take-offs and landings and with the engine run-ups required by regulations, it is inevitable that there will be unbearable noise. They are big engines, folks, and they make a lot of noise.
Oh, and they create air pollution too. You can't hear that, can't see it, but we all know that air pollution is raining down on the Waterfront from the planes operating out of the Island. Pollution is as inevitable as the noise. You will remember, no doubt, that most of the pollution from a plane is on take-off and landing because that is when the energy is needed to get the aircraft up in the air or to slow its descent. That is why short-haul flights, the specialty of Porter and the Air Canada planes at the Island Airport, are so polluting.
What can we do? Well, one thing we have learned is complaining to the Toronto Port Authority is useless. They have never attempted to control the noise or pollution of the airport. You might as well post your complaint in the sky. But then let's give them a break. It is an airport, and until it turns into something different the aircraft that operate out of it are going to create noise and air pollution. That is the nature of the beast.
Unfortunately we have learned that the Toronto Port Authority is not there to protect the public interest. No, no. They are there to run an airport. They are an agency that provides a buffer between the people and the government. It is a clever trick. The TPA is set up to give the appearance that the government is regulating the airport in the public interest while in fact they do little more than receive public complaints. The people who thought up things like "public consultations" and "advisory boards" and "send your complaints to us," sure are smart. You've got to give them credit.
Then again, you can't blame them. What can they do? It is an airport after all. It just happens to be in the centre of the most densely populated city in Canada. That, as they say, is as smart as a bag of hammers. But let's face it; that is the problem, folks. Unless we do something about this airport in the centre of our community, our Waterfront and our city then we are all going to suffer. So in conclusion, I propose the following resolution.
WHEREAS, the number of aircraft operating out of the Island Airport cause intolerable noise and air pollution for thousands of people, degrading the quality of life in our communities, our Waterfront, and our city.
BE IT RESOLVED, that we close the Island Airport.
All in favour?
Carried!
Thank you. Reason has finally prevailed in Toronto. Bill Freeman
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