Wednesday, November 6, 2024, Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre
Presented by Joan Prowse, BQNA Chairperson for the BQNA Board of Directors
The Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association is a non-profit organization that began in 1991 with the goal of improving the health and well-being of our community. Representatives to the Board of Directors are elected or approved by their individual buildings to represent our community’s interests at the local, federal and provincial level. We meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre. Everyone living in the neighbourhood are General Members and are welcome to attend or share your ideas and concerns with your building rep in advance of our monthly meeting.
Our last AGM was held in May 2023 with guest speaker Bryan Bowen, Project Manager for the City of Toronto’s Waterfront Secretariat. Bryan gave an update on the Bathurst Quay Common a project he’s managed since 2017. This new park had its official opening celebration on October 6, 2024, and included an inaugural lighting of the restored Canada Malting silos.
An advisory committee to the City of Toronto Emergency Management team (TEM) has been working on an Emergency Preparedness Plan specific to our neighbourhood since January 2024 in response to the October 2022 bomb scare. On September 30, 2024, the committee participated in a TEM led workshop to share ideas for the development of a Community Response Handbook. The second workshop will be held online this coming Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
In June, we completed a three-year Air Quality Study of our neighbourhood conducted by the University of Toronto, in partnership with Toronto Public Health, City of Toronto Planning Department and Ports Toronto. The BQNA and U of T hosted a public presentation and workshop to give feedback on the findings and share ideas on January 22, 2024. On June 6, a presentation of the final report was held at Arcadia Co-op. Read the presentation and results.
Since July, the BQNA board and general members have been keeping busy responding to Transport Canada’s requirement for Runway End Safety Areas (RESA) for major Canadian airports. At Billy Bishop Airport, for commercial flights to continue, it could mean adding 190 metres of lake-fill into the harbour and lake. Three public meetings were held, two by Ports Toronto on July 17 and October 15 and one by the City on September 24, to present various options to meet the new regulations. BQNA made a deputation on October 1 to City Council on this issue and participated in two interviews with Aecom consultants, as part of a mandatory Environment Assessment, specific to Air Quality and Community impact of the RESA construction and lake-fill options. The next public meeting will be held in January, 2025 to give feedback on the Environmental Assessment report and Ports Toronto’s chosen RESA option. This is an important change coming to our neighbourhood and we encourage all to participate.
Ports Toronto has a community liaison committee (CLC) to which BQNA reps participate four times a year. The Noise sub-committee of this CLC is into the second year working on a Ground Noise Study to address the impact of any airport noises above regular background levels impacting the neighbourhood. Monitors were placed on the airport grounds and at two neighbourhood residences (one east/one west side airport) to determine Background Noise levels both during airport hours and overnight over the past year. The objective of the study is to find the most effective way for PortsToronto to invest in lowering noise impacts for the community. You can submit airport related noise disturbances to Ports Toronto via their website. Disturbances are tracked and reported in Ports Toronto’s annual Noise Report.
The Little Norway Park Public Meeting was the BQNA’s most recent engagement with the community held on November 6, around mounting concerns relating to the encampments in Little Norway Park. The event was overflowing with people as City staff, Fire and Police Service representatives, and elected officials listened to concerns. The response has been swift from the City’s Shelter and Support Services. Within a week, the BQNA board was presented a plan and timeline for 24/7 security to address safety concerns and an on-site trailer to enhance outreach to individuals in the encampments to navigate the system necessary to move out of the park permanently. More updates to come from Councillor’s Malik’s office that we will share.
Special thanks to the sub-committee who put the event together, working with Councillor Malik and her staff, and to all who attended the meeting and have sent concerns directly to the City.
Let's hope the situation improves for those living without homes, as winter sets in, and that we are able to generate more solutions for everyone concerned.
In closing, thank you to all the volunteers and active community participants this year for your dedication, ideas and commitment to the BQNA, its sub-committees and our neighbourhood.
BQNA executive:
Joan Prowse, Chairperson
Jacqueline McLaughlin, Vice-Chairperson
Beverley Thorpe, Secretary
Ingrid van der Zande, Treasurer and Digital Designer
BQNA Board members by building:
Arcadia Co-op: Joan Prowse (rep) and Hannah Sherrett (alternate)
679 Queens Quay West: Jacqueline McLaughlin (rep) and Maureen Callaghan (alternate)
Windward Co-op: Marisa Diaz (rep) and Corrie Galloway (alternate)
King’s Landing: Lesley Monette
Quay West: Diane Jameson
Harbourside Co-op: Dawn Cormier (rep) and Tony Makepeace (alternate)
Harbour Channel Co-op: Todd Hollingsworth
Atrium on Queens Quay: Beverley Thorpe (rep)
Tip Top Lofts: Ingrid van der Zande
Queens Harbour: Diane Langill
South Beach Marina: Brian Gottheil (rep) and Carolyn Sealfon (alternate)
25 Bishop Tutu: Jacqueline McLaughlin
BQNA sub-committees:
Ports Toronto Community Liaison Committee
Rep: Beverley Thorpe
Alternate: Joan Prowse
Ports Toronto Noise Sub-committee:
Hal Beck, Max Moore and Lesley Monette
University of Toronto Air Quality Study
Joan Prowse, Diane Jameson, Lesley Monette, Bev Thorpe, Marie-Monique Giroux
Little Norway Park Encampment Planning Committee
Maureen Callaghan, Jacqueline McLaughlin, Marisa Diaz, Carolyn Sealfon, Dawn Cormier, Maxyne Lockart, Hannah Sherrett, Holly Watson, Helga Tucker
City of Toronto TEM Advisory Committee
Wendy Fisher, Diane Simon, Hal Beck
Jacqueline McLaughlin, Maureen Callaghan, Joan Prowse
Thank you for all the volunteers this year for your dedication, ideas and commitment to the BQNA, its sub-committees and our neighbourhood.
With Gratitude,
Joan Prowse
BQNA Chairperson
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