York Quay Neighborhood Association

TAI CHI CLASSES AT HARBOURFRONT COMMUNITY CENTRE

2012-01-27T14:02:00.000-08:00

Tai Chi cultivates both body and mind to restore and maintain good health through slow and graceful movements. This program will move beyond the beginner level to the intermediate stage. Tai Chi reduces tension, improves flexibility, and increases circulation. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.

For more info:

HCC, 627 Queen’s Quay West Toronto, t: 416.392.1509, www.harbourfrontcc.ca

July 21 Consultation Meeting - Street bylaw

2011-07-18T01:44:00.000-07:00

July 20th meeting - Co-generator at Redpath?

2011-07-18T01:36:00.000-07:00

Illegal Advertising blights our Neighbourhood

2010-09-10T06:08:00.000-07:00

In the last several weeks, three companies have defaced our neighbourhood with their illegal advertising. If you object to their tactics, please contact them directly. They are:

1. Warner Brothers - Robin Mogal, Publicity Department, 416-250-8384 (they painted an ad for their upcoming movie - Legends of the Guardians on the sidewalk at QQ and Bay)

2. SAB Miller - J. Meyer Kahn, CEO, www.sabmiller.com - A Dutch company that hired Mark Anthony Brands (647-428-3131) to paint an ad for Grolsch Beer on the sidewalk in front of the LCBO

3. Telus, who hired a company to project an ad on the side of the Harbour Castle Westin from a portable projector mounted atop a car parked in front of 10 Bay

Sugar Beach Opens!

2010-08-10T01:36:00.000-07:00

Toronto Centre MPP Glen Murray, Toronto City Councillor Pam McConnell, Federal Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty, Waterfront Toronto’s Chair Mark Wilson, Mayor of Toronto David Miller, and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Brad Duguid official open Canada’s Sugar Beach and phase one of the Water’s Edge Promenade.

WATERFRONT UPDATE BY BRAZ MENEZES

2010-03-05T16:49:00.000-08:00

Environmental Assessment on Bay and Yonge St. ‘down ramps’ off the Gardiner
Various stakeholders from the communities affected by the ‘re-engineering’ of the down ramps, were invited for a-four hour ‘charete’ on Sat February 6^th to discuss preliminary findings and explore options.

A public meeting will be called shortly to discuss the final selection of the best option based on further technical evaluation currently underway. The objective is to improve traffic flows at the various intersections, and in the process do away with the ugly concrete ramps in front of Harbour Square (the circular ramp and the long east ramp into Bay Street. Four teams, working independently of each other, all concluded on the basis of the presentations, that the best of the four options was the one that brought traffic strait down to grade at Lower Simcoe. This will also facilitate traffic turning north into Simcoe, with two lanes continuing east on Lake Shore, with options to turn north or south on York; and continuing east on Harbour Road. The EA team will provide more data on the study of traffic flows for each option (including pedestrian volumes on York, Bay and Yonge Streets.

East Bayfront Stakeholder Advisory Committee Meeting (Thursday Feb 11, 2010)

Readers are recommended to visit Waterfrontoronto’s website.

Sugar Beach

This park on the water’s edge of Lower Jarvis will be completed in the summer of 2010, at about the same time as the new Corus building will be ready for occupation.

George Brown College Waterfront Campus

An integrated health professional training campus is moving ahead of schedule. Construction is already underway. Representatives of GB College and their Architects (Stantec/KPMB in Joint Venture) made an impressive presentation. The first phase for up to 2500 students will be completed in 2012. The food facilities/ library and some other areas will be open 24/7. There is excellent integration with the public realm and the water’s edge.

Water’s Edge Promenade and Stormwater Management Facility

Construction of the boardwalk (to match that already constructed along Harbourfront Centre) is underway and will be substantially completed by 2011. Design is by the competition winners for the redevelopment of Queens Quay – West 8 and DTAH.

Parkside Development Update

At Lower Sherborne a major new park is planned. This includes a body of water that penetrates from the Lake inland to the edge of Lake Shore East. A competition is underway for naming this park. On it eastern edge a development by Great Gulf Group of Companies is planned. This is a mixed use high-rise complex, with the ground floor providing extensive commercial retail space (restaurants, etc) to maximize public access and interaction. The project was conceived by Moshe Safdi, architect for the Montreal Expo. A representative for Quadrangle Architects Limited, made a presentation. This project has still some ways to go to finalise design, planning approvals, and secure financing. Project completion is scheduled for 2015.

Waterfront Resident Against Airport Expansion

2010-02-18T16:04:00.000-08:00

It is not just Island residents that object to further expansion. It is a growing movement and it is almost everyone who lives on the Waterfront who is against it. This is a regional facility. TPA effort should be spent mitigating the disaster already there, and adhering to conditions in the Agreement,instead of bulldozing expansion.

The Tri-partite Agreement that opened the way for Commercial flights was drafted 27 years ago, when almost all the land south of the tracks was vacant. There are now about 50,000 residents on the Waterfront;
In any developed country, any expansion would require a major Enviromental Assessment carried by out by experts, in consultation with all three levels of Government, AND the community;
There are major issues of noise, health, safety, traffic and air and water pollution that are not being addressed. We heard at a meeting of the Toronto Board of Health, that toxic de-icing fluids are infiltrating the city's water system, and may also be flowing directly into the Lake.
The issues relating to Airport Security, to bring it in line with USA requirements, has probably not even been discussed, and the physical barriers and traffic chaos that will entail are still to unfold, slowly, as have all the other announcements in connection with this airport.
There is a childrens park and playground almost abutting the fence of the TPA ferry dock; as well as a major school and a community centre a hundred meters or so away;
The use of the of the Music Gardens is all but lost, due to the noise. If you walk along the water's edge some mornings, you can smell kerosene fumes; residents complain of layers of grit on their balconies; others already talk of spouses being nursed behind closed windows, because of respiratory illness and cancer.
Please help wake up our larger Community to what's ahead, because of one stupid decision.

I personally do not know of any other airport in a major city with this proximity to a residential area; nor of any developed country that will sacrifice a major resource such as what Waterfront Toronto are in the process of developing, ironically with the funds (taxpayer's money) from three levels of Government.

Finally, I want to say how disgusted I was at the bullying tactics displayed by the TPA officials, at the so called 'Public Meeting'. People were expected to drift around some complex panels stuck around the wall, and ask individual questions. There was no Chairperson, no seating, no microphone. There was however, an incredible display of arrogance, almost sneering, at the thought of having to put up with 'Community', and having to respond to serious questions, raised by a number of concerned residents; of course there seemed to be no credible answers from the CEO and MD of TPA.

We have hundreds of young men coming home on a regular basis, draped in flags; and thousands of others wounded. They have been sent to teach 'Democracy' in Afghanstan. Please let us start by more civility and a display of Democracy at home, by our Federal Agency at the TPA.

Thank you for raising this issue for public discussion.

Written b: Braz Menezes, Urban Planner and Resident

WATERFRONT COMMUNITY VS. AIRPORT NOISE POLLUTION

2010-02-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

Representatives of the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association, CommunityAIR, The Toronto Island Community Association, the Harbourfront Community Centre, the YQNA and dozens of members of the waterfront community attended the Toronto Port Authority’s meeting regarding the Draft Noise Study Report for the Island Airport.

The February 17 meeting, which was well-attended and included heated exchanges between the community and TPA officials, took place at the Queens Quay Radisson Hotel.

A technical Advisory Group consisted of representatives from all Waterfront associations was set up by the TPA in Nov 2008 to give input to the Noise Study. The Advisory Group has met with the TPA only twice since the Study commencement in Nov 2008. The Feb 17 meeting is being held without any significant input into the Noise Report contents by the Technical Advisory Group since project commencement. The TPA is calling the meeting a 'public meeting' despite only 9 days official web posting notice spanning a long weekend and no advertising in local papers. The Advisory Group feels that the motive for the TPA in circumventing the Advisory Group is to suppress informed technical inquiry into the findings of the noise study report. This presentation of the Noise Study by the TPA will be the first one seen by the Advisory Group.

York Quay Revitalization - Public Meeting

2010-02-16T18:16:00.000-08:00

Waterfront Toronto and Harbourfront Centre plan to replace the 212-spot surface parking lot — a 1.4 hectare area in the heart of the Harbourfront Centre site — with an underground parking garage.

This important new piece of parking infrastructure will open up this spectacular waterfront site for future public space including Canada Square, a beautiful waterfront square and a second urban square above the parking garage.

On March 2nd, Harbourfront Centre and Waterfront Toronto will be holding a public meeting to present plans and discuss key features of the York Quay Revitalization Project, Phase II including the underground parking garage, Canada Square and the planning of a future Cultural Retail Village.

Understanding the Project
Harbourfront Centre operates a 10 acre site along Toronto’s central waterfront which encompasses York and John Quays. In 2000, Harbourfront Centre developed a master plan for the revitalization of its site designed to reclaim underutilized spaces for recreational, cultural and commercial purposes and strengthen public access
to the water’s edge. The master plan also included a vision for Canada Square, an urban plaza at the water’s edge.

This project, now known as the York Quay Revitalization Project, has since evolved to include elements from the winning submission of Waterfront Toronto’s 2006 Central Waterfront Design Competition. In its submission, the design team, West 8 + DTAH envisioned a vibrant, mixed-use cultural village for the site including Canada
Square and another urban square bordering Queens Quay. World renowned landscape architectural Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Landscape Architects recently won the contract to design this Phase II work.

An overview of the project will be provided by Harbourfront Centre and Waterfront Toronto, and a presentation on some preliminary ideas for the parking garage and Canada Square will also be given by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Landscape Architects.

Public feedback will be solicited and members of the project team will be on hand to answer questions and share ideas.

Public Meeting Details:
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West
York Quay Centre, ―Lakeside Terrace‖ Meeting Room
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (Presentation and Discussion)

For more information:
Please visit www.waterfrontoronto.ca
or contact Andrea Kelemen at
416-214-1344 or akelemen@waterfrontoronto.ca
www.waterfrontoronto.ca

WATERFRONT RESIDENTS MEET WITH THE MAYOR TO DISCUSS THE ISLAND AIRPORT

2010-02-09T07:54:00.000-08:00

On Monday, February 8, a dozen waterfront residents met with Mayor David Miller in his office at City Hall. The delegation, which included representatives from the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association, the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association, CommunityAIR, the Harbourfront Community Centre, the Toronto Island Community Association, the YQNA, and Councillors Pam McConnell and Adam Vaughan, met with Mayor Miller for nearly an hour.

The residents spent the first part of the meeting detailing the repeated violations of the Tripartite Agreement, unbearable traffic problems, Porter's frequent curfew violations, the Toronto Port Authority's failure to appear before last month's Board of Health meeting, and the water, noise and air pollution generated by the Island Airport.

The second part of the meeting was spent working out a detailed plan for remedying the resident's concerns. Mayor Miller promised that the city would begin taking a more active role as one of the three partners of the Tripartite Agreement.

Residents advise Board of Health about Island Airport pollution

2010-01-21T06:43:00.000-08:00

Fifteen deputations, including representatives from the Harbourfront Community Centre, Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association, Port Lands Action Committee, Community AIR, Harbourfront Community Association, St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association and the YQNA spoke before the January 18 meeting of the Toronto Board of Health at City Hall. The agenda focused on pollution control at Pearson International Airport and Toronto City Centre Airport (TCCA), better known as the Island Airport.

While the Pearson representatives gave a detailed report of their successful efforts to cut down emissions and noise, with exemplary public participation, the TCCA provided none of the materials the Board had requested and didn’t send any representatives.

Many citizens filled the committee room, and delegate after delegate spoke with elegant indignation about the water, air, and noise pollution caused by the Island Airport. Several spoke of the myriad carcinogenic chemicals contained in the cloud of diesel fuel that hangs over the Bathurst Quay neighbourhood and others detailed the damage, and cost to the city, from the airplane de-icing fluid which the Island Airport disgorges, untreated, into the city’s sewer system.

After all the deputations, our two City councillor, Pam McConnell and Adam Vaughan and Board of Health members introduced motions that included directing the Board to look into the long term effects of water and noise and air pollution generated by the Island Airport. The motions also asked the Board of Health to study what Environmental Assessments are required before Porter Airlines is allowed to proceeded with its planned tripling of passenger volume and flight frequency.

This hearing was a turning point for residents who have watched the unchecked growth of this airport. It is supposed to be governed by a Tripartite agreement between the Federal Government, Toronto Port Authority (TPA) and the City of Toronto. The first two partners have managed to expand the airport with taxpayers’ money and little oversight or concern for the Waterfront. Meanwhile, the City of Toronto has been inexplicably lax, though it is reportedly owed $38 million in back taxes from the TPA. So it was a pleasant surprise for citizens who spoke to be understood and well received by the Board of Health, which has six City Councillors as members. We are hoping these sympathetic councillors will give a wake-up call to the rest of City Council before the Waterfront becomes completely compromised by this growing and very polluting airport.

Celebrating Waterfront Police

2009-11-24T20:37:00.000-08:00

YQNA member Lloyd Graham led the spontaneous singing of “.. and they are jolly

good fellows” for the guests in uniform. Here he is with constable Neil Hall.

YQNA threw a wonderful dinner party in appreciation of police officers from the Marine Police and 52 Division. Our association has constant access to them though our members of the Police Community Liaison Committee. Around 30 police officers and 30 residents filled dinner tables in the party room at Waterclub, Nov. 23.

One constable said, as he refilled his plate, “We thought we would be invited for pizza!” Instead the elaborate potluck dinner offered delectable foods from around the world, sumptuous desserts, a bar and door prizes. The room was donated by Waterclub, flowers by Sobey’s, gifts from Mariposa Cruises and MP Olivia Chow gave an enormous cake along with a certificate of thanks to the Police. YQNA member Cyndy De Los Santos organized a great party with many cooks in the kitchen.

One of our Member Condos wins TOP AWARD

2009-11-20T08:03:00.000-08:00

YCC 510, more commonly known has 55/65 Harbour Square, has won the Canadian Condominium Institute's prestigious CONDO OF THE YEAR AWARD. The award, which carries a value of $5000, was presented to members of the Harbour Square Communications Committee which is headed by Doug Dempsey.

The Canadian Condominium Institute is an independent, non-profit organization formed in 1982 with chapters throughout Canada. Its Toronto Chapter represents more than 500 condo corporations.

Congrats to the Brookfield Management team, staff, and residents of Harbour Square.

2009-10-04T14:08:00.001-07:00

The bottom of Yonge Street has become an attractive Promenade and adds a new bike lane to the Waterfront. At the ribbon cutting were (left ot right) Downtown Manager of Planning and the guiding force behind this $5.1 million project, Al Rezoski, Michael De Cotiis of Pinnacle International, City Councillor Pam McConnell, Barry Fenton of Lanterra Development, and Yvonne Bambrick, Director of Toronto Cyclists Union.

Good planning does happen in Toronto. The new Yonge Street Pedestrian Promenade was officially opened on September 29th with City Councillor Pam McConnell and Downtown Manager of Planning, Al Rezoski, giving a tour of the new, attractive streetscape.

The densely populated neighbourhood put great demands on the pedestrian realm. Rezoski was praised for his tenacity and urban savvy, giving this formerly sad part of Yonge Street a green and pedestrian-friendly look. It now has wide sidewalks, planters edged with seating, 125 trees in raised beds, wide pedestrian crossings and 86 new roadway lights in the railway underpass. A charming plaza, open to the public, was created by Pinnacle International on Harbour Street.

One tall condo tower houses as many people as a subdivision, so bike lanes, parking and lock-up rings for bikes were important additions. Yvonne Bambrick, Director of Toronto Cyclists Union attended the event along with Michael De Cotiis of Pinnacle International and Barry Fenton of Lanterra Developments. Residents from St. Lawrence and York Quay Neighbourhood Associations applauded the promenade, which is one of several that will connect the Waterfront to downtown.

Traffic continues to flow at this busy intersection at Yonge Street. The major improvements are for people on two legs or two wheels. They’ll be safe and can enjoy a beautiful entry to the Waterfront.

Simcoe Ribbon Cutting

2009-09-26T07:14:00.000-07:00

(Photo: L-R: Ribbon cutting attendees, Braz Menezes, Waterfront BIA and YQNA; and Adam Vaughan, Councillor, Ward 20)

Simcoe Street opened recently and is already a much-used artery between Queens Quay and downtown. It includes bike lanes that YQNA had pushed for, to provide a safe ride for cyclists. Thousands visit the Waterfront on two wheels, and many residents here either bike or walk to work. The pedestrian routes on Simcoe are also well designed, though the parts across Lake Shore Boulevard and under the Gardiner are still rough and unfinished. At least we can now drive, bike and walk much faster to many downtown destinations, such as the theatres on King Street.

A similar ribbon cutting was taking place September 29 (after the Update deadline) at Harbour Street and Yonge Street. The new streetscape here is also designed to include bike lanes, and the sidewalks have a generous width. Councillor Pam McConnell was the key speaker, and many Waterfront residents attended.

Silos to Go?

2009-09-26T07:10:00.000-07:00

YQNA has participated in many meetings that focused on what to do with the Canada Malting Silos on Queens Quay near Bathurst. They are an eyesore and a danger because the walls are deteriorating.

Would it become a music school? A museum? A condo/hotel development? After years of discussion and studies, we now hear that the silos might be torn down. That’s a surprise, because we have always been told that it would be too expensive to remove these solid concrete structures. The cost in the past was estimated to be $8 million, which may be eclipsed by the land value today despite being next to the landing path to the Island Airport.

The City’s Heritage Preservation Services oversees the silos. So far, they have not invited us to a public consultation on what’s going on. YQNA has asked to be included, especially because of the effort that our residents have put into this issue. We know that a Toronto Museum is no longer in the cards for this location. Many people wish the silos gone, but don’t want other tall buildings to take their place.

Queens Quay Redesign

2009-09-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

Newspaper reports from a recent board meeting at Waterfront Toronto gave vague and different reports about delays of the redesign of Queens Quay. YQNA is now investigating what – if anything – has changed. Councillor Adam Vaughan says the construction will go ahead as planned, starting next fall. To be certain, YQNA will get together with representatives from along the Waterfront in a meeting with Waterfront Toronto management. We want to keep the momentum going on Queens Quay.

The High Price of Harmonizing

2009-09-26T06:56:00.000-07:00

Rosario Marchese, Member of Provincial Parliament, was guest speaker at YQNA’s meeting on Sep. 15. He talked about the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) that McGuinty plans to introduce in July 2010. It would increase condo fees – along with numerous other services and products – to levels that could make life difficult for the most vulnerable people on fixed incomes.

Instead of the HST, Marchese would prefer to tax the highest earners more and leave some basic needs at the current, lower tax. At the well-attended meeting, he urged us to sign his petition on www.RosarioMarchese.ca or write premier McGuinty with a request to stop the HST.

Sherbourne Park begins

2009-07-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

Wielding shovels in the photo are L-R John Campbell, President of Waterfront Toronto; Toronto’s Mayor David Miller; Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and George Smitherman, Ontario’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure.

On July 23rd, Waterfront Toronto, together with the Governments of Canada and Ontario and City of Toronto, officially broke ground on Sherbourne Park, a spectacular new waterfront park that will transform a formerly industrial area into much needed public green space on the lake. Located just east of Lower Sherbourne Street, this 1.5 hectare park spans more than two city blocks, from Lake Ontario in the south to Lake Shore Blvd. in the north, on both sides of Queens Quay.

Sherbourne Park will become the new heart of East Bayfront bringing a feeling of life at the lake to the area. To bring the lakeside experience to life, the park features three key elements in its design: woods, water and wide open green space.

The north part of the park features a grove of pacific sunset maple trees, benches and play structures creating an outdoor living room for East Bayfront residents. Wide-open green space on the south side of the park provides ample space for festivals, concerts and other citywide events overlooking Lake Ontario. In total, the park includes 182 new trees, 26 play structures and 49 benches.

Successful Neighbourhood Clean Up

2009-07-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, July 18, the YQNA and the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association organised a Waterfront community clean up. Close to 20 volunteers worked from 9 am to 3 pm cleaning out 21 overflowing garbage bins along Queen's Quay from Bay to Stadium Road (approximately 2 kilometers).

All together we filled 52 garbage bags.

The successful clean up was made possible with the assistance of the Waterfront BIA, Harbour Castle Hotel, Radisson Hotel, and the 15 individual property managers of condo buildings along QQ who each allowed us to throw two or three filled bags into their individual bins.

Another Waterfront community clean up is being considered for the middle of August.

We have a new Deck!

2009-06-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

The series of undulating boardwalks on the Central Waterfront have a new addition -- the spectacular Simcoe WaveDeck that opened June 12, with representatives of Waterfront Toronto and three levels of government at the ribbon-cutting.
The first deck at the bottom of Spadina was completed last summer. A third deck is underway at Rees Street. These unique decks open up the areas at the water's edge, with benches for relaxation and structural curves that will build up leg muscles in those who climb on them. They are the brainchild of architects from West 8 in Rotterdam and du Toit Allsopp Hillier in Toronto.

We are now waiting for the much touted redesign of Queens Quay with wide sidewalks, bicycle lanes and street furniture. YQNA hopes construction will begin soon and take precedence over other Waterfront developments.

Ulla
YQNA

But is it ART?

2009-06-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

Edgy Art, Acrobats, lots of people, lots of fun. All at our doorstep. Could this be some of the reasons why we live here at the Waterfront?

Article in The Bulletin about excessive noise

2009-06-11T13:09:00.000-07:00

'With summer at hand, members of the York Quay Neighbourhood Association (YQNA) are once again gearing up for their annual war against excessive noise...."(click link below to read more)

http://www.thebulletin.ca/cbulletin/content.jsp?sid=16586292777869520453332974461&ctid=1000136&cnid=1002202

Illegal parking on Queens Quay

2009-06-10T13:36:00.000-07:00

It is always disappointing for residents to see cars, taxis and buses illegally parked on our local streets and sidewalks. Don't give up. There is something we can do!

We suggest that everyone put the parking enforcement dispatcher number is his or her cell phone. Then, when an infraction is observed, a call to the dispatcher can be made immediately. We believe that if enough residents contact Parking Enforcement on a regular basis, the Enforcement Unit will make a greater effort to be on top of the problem. The number is 416-808-2222 ext 0. Ask to be connected to the parking enforcement dispatcher. The dispatcher will take the details of the infraction. The Enforcement Officer does respond to our phone calls and, in on-the-street conversations, has commented that he appreciates the community support. If you do not have a cell phone, please call as soon as possible from home.

The City of Toronto Police Parking Enforcement Unit maintains a website at http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/parking/. At this website, the Unit provides some general information, a contact number and a clickable box with important information.

The clickable "Parking Enforcement" blue box in the top right corner contains two links of importance to us. The first link, "Top 10 ways to avoid receiving a parking ticket" leads to a printable document that contains information on enforcement rules and responses. This is worth printing because it explains the rules. A sample quote is: "Drivers leaving their vehicles in bus stops, no stopping zones, no standing zones, rush hour routes or parking illegally around schools, will not be warned. These vehicles will be ticketed and towed immediately."

The second link "Tour Bus on-street parking locations" leads to a printable map that shows where the bus parking is in the Harbourfront area.

Carry the map when you go for a walk. Use it to explain to the bus drivers where they should be parked. Not every bus will move because a resident has requested it, but some do. Taxis regularly park in the no standing zone in front of Queens Quay terminal. A polite request to move along is often enough to get them to clear out. Failing that, you can phone Parking Enforcement.

We often see vehicles displaying the disabled person sticker parking on our streets. Are they parking legally or illegally? The answer is at http://www.toronto.ca/transportation/parking/disabled_parking.htm. Of particular note is that these vehicles are NOT exempt if parking in a designated no standing or no stopping area. Also, they cannot park on the sidewalk.

Become familiar with the parking lots and garages in our area so that you can assist visitors in finding off-street parking. The parking garages on the north side of Queens Quay and to the east of the Westin are not too obvious to visitors.

Sound engineer reports on Harbourfront open stages

2009-06-10T13:32:00.000-07:00

Don Rodbard of the King-Spadina Residents Association is an engineer who presented a very impressive report on sound problems that continue to bother residents near Harbourfront Centre’s open stages. A circular open stage next to Queens Quay is new this year, and the old Sirius Stage is still a basic platform that’s open in all directions. It is YQNA’s hope to persuade Harbourfront Centre to invest in these stages – as they invest in other projects – to contain the sound to the audiences around them. Don’s report is on this website

No Mega-Concerts for the Island this summer

2009-06-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

The Island parks are cutting back on mega-concerts that rock the waterfront and attract huge crowds. Pam said that Wakestock, Virginfest and other rock concerts will move elsewhere. That makes the parks and ferries available all summer long as Toronto’s favourite recreational area. YQNA questions the use of public parks for commercial events, and we are concerned about unmanageable crowds as well as destruction of parks.

Cruise ship noise

2009-06-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

A group effort, lead by Cathy Waiten of YQNA with Councillor McConnell, Councillor Adam Vaughan, members of Municipal Licencing and Standards (MLS), Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO) and the Toronto Passenger Vessel Association is making great strides in making the Waterfront more livable and safe for millions of visitors. Noise and overcrowding are major concerns. As a result of several meetings, the tour boat operators are working effectively on controlling the noise from ‘party boats’.

Residents can find our noise complaint log on the home page and a Tour Boat Field Guide that identifies the large tour boats in the bay. If any excessive and continued noise bother residents, they must identify the vessel in the complaint form.

Pam McConnell special guest at our May meeting

2009-06-10T13:24:00.000-07:00

City councillor Pam McConnell was special guest at a packed YQNA’s meeting in May in the Radisson Hotel. She gave us an update on the tall structures north of us: the Telus Building will open in July; Air Canada Centre will close this summer to complete expansions; Maple Leaf Plaza will follow shortly; Maple Leaf Square will be finished in 2010. The signage plans for this general area are still incomplete, but YQNA will keep an eye open for possible billboard applications during the summer.

Earth Day Cleanup at Harbourfront

2009-05-01T20:18:00.001-07:00

Mayor David Miller and City Councillor Pam McConnell were in our
neighbourhood April 24, 2009 to celebrate Earth Day. Dozens of people who live and work on the Waterfront joined in the annual 20 minutes of spring clean up that took place throughout the city.

Here is the Mayor and our popular Councillor (in blue) with YQNA members Ulla Colgrass and Bob Rasmussen, ready with their plastic bags and gloves to get to work. Bags were filled with food containers, cigarette buts, coffee cups, broken glass – even a rusted bicycle wreck was removed!

Jane's Walk Central Waterfront

2008-05-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed the Central Waterfront Walk on Sunday, May 4 at 11am. It was a pleasure to meet approximately forty other participants who were from this neighbourhood, different parts of Toronto, Etobicoke and from Richmond Hill. There were tourists from New Jersey and an urban planning student from Germany. The appreciative group were a variety of ages including a newborn baby! The tour was led by Braz Menezes who was well assisted by Doug Dempsey, Ulla Colgrass and Bob Rasmussen. These energetic tour organizers are members of the York Quay Neighbourhood Association.

The tour started at Yonge Street and Queens Quay with a route along Queens Quay to the York Quay Park and back along the lake side board walk. The tour ended at the Marine Police Unit. It was interesting to learn about the history of this area, to see interesting works of art and to understand the many challenges of this important part of Toronto. To address highlights of the area, the tour organizers arranged to have wonderful speakers present specific topics. Pina Mallozzi, from Waterfront Toronto, talked about future plans. Jo Ann Roberts, an information officer from Harbour Front Centre, was an enthusiastic presenter of all the activities happening there. Police Constable Rick Arsenault told us about the responsibilities of the Marine Unit and took us inside the boat shed for a closer look at the various types of boats. Kevin Currie, from the Queen’s Quay Harbourfront Business Improvement Association, explained their initiatives, a recent marketing survey and upcoming events. All the guest speakers were generous with their time and talents and happily answered a variety of questions from the participants.

The walk was informative, relaxed and made us more aware of how important it is to make this unique neighbourhood a “people place”.

Celia Rasmussen

Proposed Federal Amendments to the Canadian Marine Act Could Rob Toronto of Infrastructure Funds

2008-02-09T07:32:00.000-08:00

With Toronto’s budget on the verge of being balanced, a new threat looms as legislation is set to pass in Ottawa that would give the Toronto Port Authority access to our city’s hard won federal infrastructure funds. The TPA, a federal agency, with no local accountability was criticized by the recent Tassé report as being unresponsive to the needs of the community.
Now, Stephen Harper’s Conservative government has struck a deal with the Federal Liberals to make amendments to the already controversial Canada Marine Act that governs the TPA. The amendment covered under Bill C-23 will give even greater power to arms-length Port Authorities across Canada and allow them to become eligible for public funding that is currently held and controlled by municipal government’s infrastructure funds.
"One of the proposed amendments to the Canada Marine Act will fundamentally change the requirement that Port Authorities are to be self-sustaining. In the case of the Toronto Port Authority, we have an example of a Port Authority that has consistently run substantial operating losses every year - in the millions. We fear that this amendment opens the door to the TPA covering those losses through applications for funds that are essential to other municipal needs such as running community centres or removing snow and garbage” says Bill Freeman of CommunityAIR, a non-profit group representing many Toronto waterfront communities.
Freeman will present a fact sheet to the Standing Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities which tallies over $110 million in subsidies paid to the TPA, and lists examples of how the federal agency mishandled public funds on ventures like the $9 million spent on the ill-fated Rochester Ferry Terminal.
Joining Freeman, in Ottawa is Brian Iler, past commodore of the Alexandra Yacht Club and Toronto City Councillor, Adam Vaughn, whose ward contains the TPA run Toronto island airport. They will voice their opposition before the committee on Tuesday, February 5 at 11 a.m. Now in its final stages, they hope the Bill will be blocked from passing through the House later this month.

With the recent announcement of another Conservative party loyalist to the Toronto Port Authority’s board there are fears that Bill C-23 will further erode the TPA’s accountability to the Toronto public. Craig Rix, whose appointment to the TPA was made by Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon last week, was an aide to Finance minister Jim Flaherty when he was a member of the Mike Harris government in Ontario. The Canada Marine Act requires that four different classes of port users be represented in the makeup of the TPA's board, yet none of its current members appear to meet this particular requirement.

Students Become Active on the Waterfront

2008-01-18T10:30:00.000-08:00

The Queen’s Quay Harbourfront Business Improvement Area (QQHBIA) has launched its ‘Strategy for the Transformation of Queen’s Quay’, tapping into the creativity of student planners.
It began with a meeting that was attended by twelve planning students in their final year at Ryerson University and their Associate Director and Professor, Mitchell Kosny, MRCP, Phd. Also attending were representatives from Harbourfront, the QQHBIA, Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association, the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association, York Quay Neighbourhood Association, and Waterfront Action. Local business representatives included Ms. Chinyere Eni, Branch Manager of the Royal Bank of Canada, located in the Queen’s Quay Terminal Building and Kevin Currie, of Wheel Excitement. YQNA’s Planning member Braz Menezes, who conceived the project, also chaired the meeting.

At the meeting the students were given a list of priorities and then asked to prepare a strategy for the economic and physical transformation of Queen’s Quay over the next few years. There will be a mid-session review of the student’s work near the end of October. They will present their final report later and all will be invited.

While the Ryerson students are working on their strategy for our neighbourhood, five University of Toronto students will be looking at the impact that condo tower congestion has on our lives, both physically and socially.

Thanks to Braz, and the QQHBIA, Ryerson University and the University of Toronto for helping to get their project off the ground. We are all looking forward to receiving the student’s final presentation.

Planning on the edge

2007-11-29T13:50:00.000-08:00

Our city planner Al Rezoski is overwhelmed with projects and still takes time to inform YQNA and ask our opinions. Yet, even an outsider can tell that the City’s Planning Department is in jeopardy.

More than 200 large buildings are in the planning stages downtown and 39,000 homes – mostly condos – are in the pipeline. To shape and guide these developments, the downtown Planning Department has three planners and a temporary chief planner in place of Ted Tyndal, who is on sick leave. Three planning jobs are open, but even when they are eventually filled the department is a shadow of its former self.

YQNA’s Planning and Development Committee has grave concerns about the many building projects in our area. The new co-chairs, James Russell and Bob Rasmussen, wrote a letter to Mayor David Miller with copies to all City Councillors, pleading with them to restore funding to the Planning Department to usher in the biggest building boom in Toronto’s history. We await their replies.

NEW PLAN FOR COMMUNITY

2007-11-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

The Queen’s Quay Harbourfront Business Improvement Area (QQHBIA) held a meeting on September 13th at Harbourfront Centre to launch its ‘Strategy for the Transformation of Queen’s Quay.’

The meeting was attended by twelve planning students in their final year at Ryerson University and their Associate Director and Professor, Mitchell Kosny, MRCP, Phd. Also attending were representatives from Harbourfront, the QQHBIA, Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association, the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association, York Quay Neighbourhood Association, and Waterfront Action. Local business representatives included Ms. Chinyere Eni, Branch Manager of the Royal Bank of Canada, located in the Queen’s Quay Terminal Building and Kevin Currie, of Wheel Excitement. Our HarbourSide resident, Braz Menezes, who conceived the project, also chaired the meeting.

At the meeting the students were given a list of priorities and then asked to prepare a strategy for the economic and physical transformation of Queen’s Quay over the next few years. There will be a mid-session review of the student’s work near the end of October. They will present their final report in December of this year.

While the Ryerson students are working on their strategy for our neighbourhood, five University of Toronto students will be looking at the impact that condo tower congestion has on our lives, both physically and socially.

Thanks to Braz, and the QQHBIA, Ryerson University and the University of Toronto for helping to get their project off the ground. We are all looking forward to receiving the student’s final presentation.

Christmas Lights 2007 from QQHBIA

2007-11-06T16:26:00.000-08:00

The 2007 kick-off display has it’s home on the Firehall in the new HTO Park. The display includes rope lights on the north and east face of the building, a firetruck made out of LED’s and
cascading snowflakes on the tower. It’ll be beautiful!

Our final installation for 2007 is our 22 foot holiday tree. It will reside on the second their, beveled corner of the Westin Convention Centre right at Bay and Queens Quay. Join us for a hot beverage at HTO Park on Sunday November
18, 2007 and celebrate our Kick-off 2007 Kick-off. Don’t forget to bring your old strings of lights. TABIA and Toronto Hydro will be on hand once again to exchange your old lights for brand new, energy efficient LED”S.

For full story and QQHBIA news update click here

Q400 Crahes Again

2007-10-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

As you may know by now, another Q400 plane crash landed in Europe, this time in Copenhagen airport (for full story click here). That's SAS's third crash in 7 weeks! SAS has now decided (according to Jyllands Posten, a reliable daily) to get rid of all it's Q400 planes. Quotes from the paper:

" Patience and confidence have disappeared after a dreadful year for SAS. As a result, none of SAS's passengers will ever fly in a Q400 plane again," said SAS's chief operating officer Mats Jansson.

It is already clear that the decision to replace 27 Q400 planes will cost SAS millions and will negatively affect the company's economy.

"We have had problems with this plane for a long time and have suffered three crash landings. Consequently we must get rid of the plane entirely," continued Jansson.

SAS will buy or rent new planes to replace the grounded Q400 planes.

SAS will attempt to get Bombardier to take back the planes.

"Lease agreements on the planes expire in 2010 and 2012. SAS will not lease these planes out to others. We will attempt to get Bombardier to take back the planes. They can then decide if they will lease them to others or what they want to do with them," said John Dueholm, vice president of SAS.

That's it for now .... I think the big story here is that 27 planes might be returned to Bombardier. What'll happen to them? The Danish story suggests that these planes will continue to fly somewhere, leased to unsuspecting or cash-strapped companies. Are we connecting the dots to the local scene?

Ulla

Message to YQNA Residents - News from Harbourfront

2007-10-26T08:36:00.000-07:00

Dear YQNA friends,

Harbourfront Centre offers both entertainment, culture and education.
Below is a list of the courses they offer this winter.

We have updated information on YQNA's website, so take a look at
www.yqna.ca. Among other things are new photos from our successful
recent garage sale.

Greetings,
Sara Hsieh
YQNA Communications

------------------------------------
Harbourfront Centre's Courses & Workshops provide adults and families with exciting, fun and creative learning experiences!

Explore a new genre! Expand a skill! Embark upon a learning adventure of a lifetime! Harbourfront Centre's stimulating Courses & Workshops return for a third year with a wide range of new programmes including creative workshops for families. The fall semester of Courses & Workshops runs from October to December, 2007.

Register early as courses and workshops require a minimum number of participants. To register or for more information, the public can call 416-952-4046 or visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com/courses.

We are trying to inform as many area residents as possible. If you have a newsletter, could we be included? Would you be able to post this information on your website or distribute in any other available manner to area residents?

Please see information below. If you click onto the document below, it links directly to our Courses & Workshops website that contains complete programme information.

Best regards,
Linda
--
Linda Liontis
Media Relations
Harbourfront Centre
235 Queens Quay West
Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2G8
Phone: 416-973-4381
Fax: 416-973-6055
Email: lliontis@harbourfrontcentre.com
http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com

Pet Discovery Centre Coming to Harbourfront

2007-10-25T12:36:00.000-07:00

The vacant building on Queens Quay West that formerly housed the Bamboo will soon become a Pet Community and Discovery Centre. The building is owned by the City and managed by Harbourfront Centre. They have been looking for a suitable tenant for several years.

At a reception on September 11th in the York Quay Centre, Bill Boyle, Harbourfront Centre’s CEO, introduced spokespeople representing the Nestle-Purina Corporation. They announced their plans and enthusiasm to have an opportunity to "give back to the community".

As the new tenants of this space, Nestle-Purina shared their plans to develop an animal hall of fame and to plan activities to help individuals and families learn more about how to care for and have fun with their pets. They asked people attending the reception to offer any ideas they might have and promised that they will welcome community input to their planning process.

Watch for signs of change as they begin to do extensive renovations to the building in the near future.

Sun and fun garage sale!

2007-10-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

YQNA had a successful Garage Sale at the Radisson Hotel on Sunday, September 23rd, 2007. An energetic group of members on Queens Quay pulled it all together. They filled the empty store front with donations from condos in our area; they promoted the event and brought in plenty of customers; and they got volunteers working for four days.

The sun was shining on YQNA in more ways than one, because we raised $1,500. As an added bonus, we had a lot of fun working together and meeting new people in the neighbourhood. We’ll keep most of the proceeds for YQNA projects, but a generous donation of $500 went to the scholarship fund for underprivileged youth, sponsored by our friends at Toronto Police 52 Division.

Local businesses gave generously, especially prizes for the raffle. Our MPP Rosario Marchese dropped by to visit and to pick the winners. Many thanks to the following businesses for donating these raffle prizes:

Toula Restaurant at Westin Harbour Castle Hotel: Dinner for two ($200 value)
Pier 4 Restaurant: $70 gift certificate
Il Fornello: $50 gift certificate
Swiss Chalet: 6 vouchers for 1/4 chicken dinners ($45 value)
Shoppers Drug Mart: bag of items including cosmetics, skin care, and 15% off coupon valid till Dec. 31 (over $100 value)
Pharmasave: L'Oreal Skin Treatment $50+ value
Second Cup: 2 bags of specialty teas, tea canisters, teacups, and Belgian chocolates (each bag $80+ value)
Sobey's: $30 in gift certificates
David Hillis Salon: Salon packages:
1. Colour with Hanna, Cut and Blow dry with Sangeeta, Make-up with Kimberly - $125 value
2. Cut with Rose and Manicure with Ildiko - $82 value
3. Cut and Blow dry with Melissa - $55 value
Harbourfront Centre, signed novels:
Mr. Potter by Jamaica Kincaid
Step Across This Line by Salman Rushdie
You Can't Read This by Val Ross
Voyageur by Robert Twigger
In Bad Taste? by Dr. Massimo Francesco Marcone
The Stowaway by Robert Hough
4. Power Plant: 2 family passes
5.HarbourKIDS passes: voucher for 4 passes to Luminarium, $20 value
6. Wheel Excitement: child's cycling helmet and accessories

A huge thank you to the Radisson Admiral Hotel for the generous donation of space and furnishings for this event, and for their continued hospitality at our bi-monthly meetings.

New Walking Path

2007-10-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

A new walking path called South Linear Park has just opened in our neighbourhood. It runs east-west from Spadina Avenue to Yonge Street just north of the Gardiner Expressway. Since most of the condo tower population move around the city without a car, this green and attractive path was created in partnership with Concord Adex to get people quickly and safely on foot to Union Station and other downtown locations. The Linear Park will eventually be expanded all the way to Bathurst Street. Our city planner Al Rezoski, who has guided this project, promises to look for a better name than South Linear Park. Ideas, anyone?

Involuntary entertainment?

2007-10-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

YQNA’s Planning and Development Committee is following the exciting square that is planned west of Air Canada Centre. It will hold 4000 people. ACC developers are applying for a permit for a large video screen to entertain the crowds. It would be 11 by 6.4 meters and about 10 meters off the ground. The ACC wants to add amplified sound as well as advertisements from sponsors. In other words, it will be like a giant TV.

The neighbouring Maple Leaf Square appears to have a hotel facing this proposed screen. It could be challenging to have hotel rooms facing this over-sized screen, and the sound would travel upwards into condos and offices above.

Another application for a giant video screen in the same area comes from Maple Leaf Square. When the plans for this huge development were first presented to the public, we were assured that no over-sized video screens would be allowed – and certainly no sound and definitely not giant advertisements. Now they are all popping up. YQNA is working with councillor Pam McConnell on reining in this trend to plaster the Waterfront with giant screens and more noise.