Join us on Tuesday, March 28 at 7 pm for
THE WATERFRONT FOR ALL SPEAKER SERIES #9
FEATURING
Christina lacovino, Parks, Forestry & Recreation, City of Toronto
Johanna Kyte, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
We will be touching on key projects that are underway and soon to be rolling out, as well as asking questions on how different agencies work together on the waterfront. Who does what? Who minds the gaps? What are some of the big moves on the waterfront in 2023.
We will be posting the event RSVP links and more detailed even information very soon! Stay tuned.
In mid-January 2023, Harbourfront quietly announced it was going to remove its iconic skating rink, and replace it with a concrete "plaza", due to lack of funds. Yet Harbourfront had recently received a $20 million federal grant. The Community wasn't consulted. All three elected representatives of the various levels of government (MP Kevin Vuong, MPP Chris Glover, and City Councillor Ausma Malik) have objected. Harbourfront appears to be going ahead anyway. WFA and other community groups are meeting with the federal government. Please help by signing Kevin Vuong's petition here directed to the House of Commons.
The dock wall on Ward's Island at the Eastern Gap is in bad shape. Part of it fell down sometime in February, 2023. Ausma Malik, Ward 10 Councillor, has asked Ports Toronto for a plan to fix it. We don't know if Ports Toronto will agree to do so. The problem is, it's never been clear which government agency is responsible for this ancient bit of concrete, built we think in the 19th Century. We hope this gets sorted out soon! It's a safety hazard. Many dock walls and breakwaters around the Harbour are falling down due to a similar lack of clarity as to who's in charge.
We had a very successful event last night, featuring Nicole Swerhun who leads a team of process facilitators at Third Party Public (formerly Swerhun Inc.) that engages many different voices in discussions about all things public - from public assets and public policies to public spaces and public services. She creates tools to broadly share information, and seeks feedback on the information shared.
Nicole brought this experience to bear in her cogent talk on how we can meaningfully and effectively talk about the future of the Island Airport. We also featured Waterfront for All board members, Ron Jenkins and Brian Iler providing short talks on Island Airport's "runway end safety area" challenges and the recent financial developments affecting Porter Airlines and the airport operators. Finally, we were pleased to have Spadina Fort York City Councillor Ausma Malik join us and participate in the evening.
A video recording of the December 13 event is now posted.
As a grassroots community organization we rely on volunteers and modest fundraising to continue being able to put on public and online events, if you can make a donation to help us please click here to donate.
Here, below, is the background information we shared on our Event Page (which everyone who RSVP'd can still access directly at https://islandairportfutures.obv.io)
RESA — Requirements
302.602 (1) A RESA shall have a minimum length of 150 m and shall conform to the requirements respecting location, characteristics and objects in the runway end safety area set out in 3.2 of Chapter 3 of the document entitled Aerodrome Standards and Recommended Practices, TP 312E, published by the Department of Transport.
(2) The operator of an airport may reduce the length of the ASDA, LDA or TORA in order to obtain the minimum length referred to in subsection (1).
(3) The minimum length referred to in subsection (1) does not apply if the operator of an airport installs an arresting system that is designed to stop an aeroplane in the event that the aeroplane overruns a runway and that conforms to the requirements regarding such a system set out in 3.2 of Chapter 3 of TP 312E.
(4) A RESA is not required before the starting point of the LDA if
(5) For the purposes of paragraph (4)(b), approved vertical guidance means glide slope deviation information provided to a pilot until the decision height is reached to assist in the carrying out of a three-dimensional instrument approach without a missed approach point, but in respect of a missed approach segment that begins at the decision height.
https://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2022/2022-01-05/html/sor-dors269-eng.html
Please click here or on the "Read More" button below to see more background information on the Tripartite Agreement, the History of the Island Airport, and more ...
It's time for a serious talk about the future of the Billy Bishop Island Airport.
How do we have the conversation?
Join us on December 13 at 7 pm to hear public engagement expert Nicole Swerhun, Managing Principal of Third Party Public, lead us through key issues and critical process considerations.
Island Airport issues on our radar:
On May 24, 2022 our Speaker Series #7 featured Chris Glaisek of Waterfront Toronto, Geoff Wilson of PortsToronto and Nancy Gaffney of TRCA. We'll post their slide presentations and a recording soon. We also held our Annual General Meeting.
Chair Ed Hore gave his annual summary of things that happened on the Toronto Waterfront. Here it is in writing.
Chair Ed Hore has been kayaking around the amazing Toronto Waterfront for decades and gets a lot of questions about the best routes, where to launch, where to park, where to rent, and so on. So he recently tried his hand at an annotated Paddling Map of the waterfront that answers at least some of these questions.
Toronto is stunningly beautiful from the water. But always keep in mind it's on a Great Lake. Particularly in unsheltered areas, the Lake can get choppy and rough; weather changes can be unpredictable. Always make sure you paddle within your skill set. If in doubt take some lessons. There are introductory kayak, canoe and SUP lessons and rentals at Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak Centre and SUP lessons and rentals at various locations across the waterfront. Have fun!
Lou Di Gironimo, General Manager, Toronto Water, gave us a fantastic presentation on January 25, 2022 explaining why a big rainfall can cause Toronto's old combined sewers to overflow untreated into the Lake. There's an ambitious plan to fix the problem at a cost in the billions, involving digging three massive new tunnels, a new hi-tech outfall out in the Lake, plus new pumping and treatment facilities. Construction is underway, but will take many years. A recording is posted at "Recordings of Speaker Series" tab. "Recordings of Speick here to RSVP.
Thanks to our speakers at last night's Speaker Series #5 - What's Next on the Waterfront
FYI: If you attended and logged into our event last night you can still check out all the information and links to resources we posted to our even welcome page here: https://waterfrontwhatsnext.obv.io
We've now posted a video. Or you can click on the links below to download the presentation slide decks.
