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.
The provincial government has chosen three private "partners" to revitalize Ontario Place, but it did so without public consultation and seemingly without a plan for Ontario Place as a whole, and without reference to the revitalization of the rest of the Toronto waterfront. Inspired by Ken Greenberg's talk at our recent Speaker Series event 'What's Happening at Ontario Place?', our letter to the Premier of Ontario suggests that three-government agency Waterfront Toronto should run Ontario Place revitalization.
Join us on Tuesday, November 23, at 7 PM for Waterfront For All, Speakers Series #5:
What's Next on the Waterfront: with David Stonehouse, Director, Waterfront Secretariat, City of Toronto and George Zegarac, CEO of Waterfront Toronto.
Join us on October 19 at 7 PM for our Speaker Series #4 - Ontario Place What's Up?
A panel discussion featuring Ken Greenberg and Eric Klaver on the Provincial Government's plans for the site.
Please Click this link to RSVP: https://www.waterfrontforall.ca/ontario_place_what_s_going_on
WFA Chair Ed Hore recently won a pro bono court victory against Cabana Pool Bar, the outdoor nightclub at the east end of Toronto Harbour. He was acting for York Quay Neighbourhood Association (YQNA), a member organisation of Waterfront for All. Huge weekend DJ music events disturbed the Toronto Islanders and others. YQNA teamed up with the Toronto Islanders and the City of Toronto to fight an application by the nightclub owners for a liquor licence allowing more people, longer hours and fewer restrictions on loud amplified music than were permitted under the existing liquor licence.
On June 14, 2021, in lengthy reasons, the Ontario Divisional Court dismissed an appeal by Powerhouse Corporation (a corporation related to the nightclub). The effect is that Cabana is not entitled to hold loud outdoor events extending into the morning hours, as it had hoped.
Update, November 16, 2021: The Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed Powerhouse's application for leave to appeal, so the litigation concluded.
In the third of our Waterfront Speaker Series, waterfront advocate and sailor Ron Jenkins speaks on the Toronto Island Airport and its alternative histories. In its years on the Island, the airport could have become many things. That transitional nature continues to this day.
