1. Waterfront Sidewalks in Danger – courtesy of the Port Authority
[with excerpts from Councillor Adam Vaughan’s, Ward 20, newsletter]
Earlier this year, Toronto and East York Community Council (TEYCC) voted unanimously to build a sidewalk and narrow what used to be Bathurst Street south of Queens Quay Boulevard under its new name Eireann Quay. The redesign was a huge victory for the local community. Residents had demanded control over their neighbourhood street since commercial flights resumed, under protest, on the island. The new design and regulations (taxi queuing lanes were eliminated) provide a safer intersection and safer pedestrian access to Ireland Park.
However, shortly after the TEYCC’s decision, the Toronto Port Authority and Porter Airlines commenced court action seeking an injunction against the city to stop the construction of the sidewalks and open up access for waiting taxi cabs. The City has decided to defend its position and rights to build the sidewalks in court this fall. TCAT will monitor this process and keep our supporters informed of any developments or opportunities to voice your support.
2. Issues and Decisions Across the City – Let us know what’s going on, especially in your ward
As an organization focused on the entire city it is sometimes difficult for TCAT to hear about local projects until very near the end of the planning or consultation process. In some cases it is too late to mobilize our networks of cyclists and pedestrians to voice their opposition or support for a particular City plan. Other competing interests are often quicker to organize (they may have been the ones to persuade the local Councillor or City staff to initiate the project in the first place), and so their voice is heard the loudest.
That is why TCAT is asking for your help. If you hear about something going on in your community – be it a sidewalk narrowing, a new bike lane, a change to a local speed limit, or any other project that affects the quality of your walking or cycling experience, we’d like you to share that with us. We will let others in your area, and across the city, know what the City is doing. If support is needed, we will encourage our supporters to write letters and attend meetings, so that you know you are not alone.
No matter how early in the process, please send this information to info@torontocat.ca. Tell us a little bit about the project and how others can help. Expect a response and most likely a posting in the next TCAT News e-Bulletin.
3. Call for Submissions: The Environmental Story to be Remembered in 10 Years
The Sustainability Network is collecting short stories from environmental leaders across Canada to highlight our country's environmental movement, our commitment to future growth and the significant role ENGOs have as champions of the cause.
This is a core project of the Sustainability Network's 10th Anniversary celebrations and they will be promoting this in a variety of ways. The Top Ten Selections will be highlighted in their October edition of Nexus, their website, media releases and in partnership with Corporate Knights magazine. They will also include "honourable mentions" wherever possible. Here are the guidelines:
· Submissions are due September 7, 2007
· Maximum 300 words in length, and a headline for your short story
· Include your name, title, and name of your environmental organization
· Highlight the environmental cause/issue, and why it's important to be remembered in 10 years
· Print-quality photos are encouraged with your emailed submission, but not essential in the selection process.
· Email your Environmental Story to be Remembered in 10 Years to: info@sustain.web.ca
4. TCAT News – Help spread the word!
TCAT is continually looking to increase its list of supporters. It helps to be able to say how many people and organizations support the work we do when we speak with City Councillors, City staff, and the media, or put out a publication. Please send this message to any groups or individuals you think would be interested in learning more about TCAT, receiving our weekly e-Bulletin, or volunteering with TCAT.
To learn more about TCAT, visit our web site at www.torontocat.ca
To subscribe to TCAT News, go to http://lists.torontocat.ca/listinfo.cgi/tcatnews-torontocat.ca
Comments
aidan (not verified)
Out of our misery
Wed, 08/08/2007 - 12:14When are Porter and the Port Authority (with its aiport) going to be put out of our misery?!
Developers and the automobile own everthing from Front right down to the scum on the harbour. The waterfront along the harbour is lost , but the waterfront outside the islands is not. The answer is to put up bike/foot bridges or a ferry across the Eastern and Western Gaps, close the airport, and continue the boardwalk and bike path from Sunnyside across the islands east through Cherry Beach to the Beaches. We’d be the envy of port cities at the cost of two bridges and a bit of pavement and lumber.
I've given up on cycling along Queen's Quay. The Harbour Castle already disrupts foot/pedal traffic along Queen’s Quay, despite the optimism of last year’s “Quay to the City”. Those xeroxed condos aren’t going anywhere, nor all the cars in them. Apart from Centre Island, Ward’s and marinas, the islands are seriously underused. Ever been out Hanlon’s way on a weekday? We should be getting people out there, so everyone doesn’t try to go the Beaches and Harbourfront at the same time.
Here’s a map of my Waterfront Fantasy Path: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Waterfront-Fantasy-Path
John G. Spragge (not verified)
City Centre Airport and Medical Services
Thu, 08/09/2007 - 10:02Over ten medical flights land or take off at Toronto City Centre Airport every day. Whatever the flacks at Community Air and the downtown real estate lobby tell you, Pearson cannot reliably accommodate these flights. As a general rule of thumb, don't trust what motorists who have never ridden a bicycle tell you how cyclists should behave in traffic, and for the same good reasons, don't pay attention to what people who have never shot an approach or worked a TRACON tell you airports can or cannot handle.
Please note that the lawyers who plan to fight over this latest futile attempt to harass Toronto City Centre Airport won't do it for nothing, and the money and energy this city sinks into an attempt to influence policies right out of their jurisdiction will come at the expense of other things, such as bike lanes and other bicycle facilities.
Darren_S
Airport needs a medical
Thu, 08/09/2007 - 16:23I think you will find that most medivac flights using the Island have patients that are pretty stable, ie injured while on vacation, intra-province transfers. So the difference to them between Pearson and the Island is rather moot.
Critical care flights where the patient is unstable, that is usually the orange MOH helicopter flying into downtown, usually land right at the hospital save some poorer weather conditions.
I think the terminal controller could figure out what is what and prioritize each accordingly quite well into Pearson.
If I had to chose a crash I would pick the Island. Less dense population immediately surrounding it and a better chance that the plane would end up in the drink, as opposed to landing up in some subdivision a la AA Flight 587.
Seems to be a lot of hogwash on both sides of the issue and a far stretch to relate this to bike lanes.
John G. Spragge (not verified)
A far stretch...
Tue, 08/14/2007 - 02:48indeed. Leaving aside all the other arguments about Toronto City Centre Airport for a moment, the following facts remain: