Mayor Rob Ford ally Councillor John Parker backs Waterfront Toronto

In an e-newsletter to residents sent Friday, Councillor John Parker, deputy speaker and an ally of Mayor Rob Ford, strongly rejects the mayor's push to seize control of the Port Lands from Waterfront Toronto and replace its mixed-use neighbourhood plan with a shopping centre, attractions and more.

Here's his message:

From:   John Parker

            Toronto City Councillor

            Ward 26 - Don Valley West

 

Ward 26 residents have asked me to comment on where I stand with respect to the recent proposals considered at Executive Committee with respect to the development of the portion of Toronto's waterfront area known as the "portlands".

 

Many Ward 26 residents will remember that I hosted a public meeting on the subject of Toronto's waterfront plan about two years ago. At that meeting residents were made aware of the tripartite federal/provincial/municipal commission established some years ago under the name "WaterfronToronto" with responsibility for environmental remediation and urban development initiatives in this long neglected part of the city.

 

Those seeking further detail as to the recommendations of WaterfronToronto would do well to visit their website at www.waterfrontoronto.ca.

 

The recommendations that recently came before the city's Executive Committee can be reviewed at http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2011.EX9.6

 

The recent recommendations to the Executive Committee include removing a portion of the waterfront lands (the "portlands") from the remit of WaterfronToronto and having the city manage them according to a revised set of development criteria.

 

My thoughts on the matter can be summarized thus:

 

1.     I have always favoured having the present tripartite commission (WaterfronToronto) take the lead in matters relating to the development of Toronto's vast waterfront lands. I do not favour giving over a portion of the land to another party – even if it is the City of Toronto or one of its corporations – to develop independently. I have the concern that removal of any significant component of the whole will interfere with the execution of the overall vision for development and lead to the possible unravelling of the tripartite approach generally.

 

2.     I favour the environmental goals and remediation plan set out by WaterfronToronto. This includes the creation of a naturalized Don River mouth as developed by WaterfronToronto in collaboration with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), of which I am a member. I do not favour abandoning this approach for any alternative that I have yet seen, and I do not see good reason for doing so.

Further on that point: The current plan for the mouth of the Don is the product of years of collaborative work. It takes into account the needs of flood protection across the waterfront lands and upstream under extreme weather conditions, as well as lake water quality and water turbulence criteria under normal circumstances. Before I can support any alternative proposal I need to be convinced that it addresses these priorities satisfactorily.

Apart from the foregoing, the current plan is advancing toward regulatory approval. Changing the environmental plan risks upsetting the existing timelines.

 

3.     As for the development proposal itself, I am inclined to favour the original approach - mixed use - over the new proposal, which relies heavily on large scale commercial development. I believe that redevelopment of the vacant waterfront lands gives us a chance to build a community comprised of all the ideal elements – our chance to build the city that we wish we always had. To my mind this is what the original development model aims at. I have not been convinced that new commercial development in this area is needed or that its merits outweigh those of mixed use development. I also have questions concerning its likely effect of attracting the infiltration of cars from other regions and also its potential impact on the city's existing commercial areas, including the downtown commercial zone.

 

4.     I am uncomfortable with the transit system that is proposed in the recent recommendations. Whatever its value to the portlands, I have the concern that it may not be well suited to serve any of the other waterfront development areas. Transit systems are enormously expensive to build and operate (I am a TTC commissioner so I am confronted by these realities regularly); they must therefore be developed with considerable attention to cost, value, and impact on city building goals.  (Make this one of the reasons why I favour making all waterfront lands subject to a consolidated, coordinated development plan under a single authority rather than severing one component for independent development.)

 

The new proposal has some exciting elements: adaptive reuse of the enormous former Hearn station for recreational purposes, a yacht club in the harbour area, attractive roadways, streetscapes, etc.  These are all worth looking at closely and adopting as part of the overall plan if practical. To my mind these elements can be considered within the context of the existing proposals and possibly introduced by way of amendment. I do not see a need to reject the current plan altogether in order to include certain good new ideas.

 

In short, I support taking a good look at the new proposal and determining the practical impact of its recommendations. I see a number of hurdles to overcome in advancing its recommendations. On the key features I am going to need a lot of convincing before I can be persuaded to change course. In general approach I do not support abandoning the present tripartite commission as lead player.

 

I am hopeful that, if everyone just takes a deep breath, the best ideas in the new proposal – if they test out after due analysis – can be adopted by way of amendment without jeopardizing the development plan and approach currently in place. My efforts as a member of council will be applied towards that end.

 

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Parker E-News is circulated every now and then to email addresses on my e-News subscription list. It is intended to keep Ward 26 residents and other interested persons updated on matters of possible interest.

www.johnparker.ca

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twitter: johnparker26

Comments

[Ron McDougall]

Sounds reasonable. But no ferris wheel, no mall, no commercial development. Look at Chicago, look at Sydney.

[Ed Sasha]

Thank you, Mr. Parker, for your thoughtful and considered response to the attempt by Doug Ford to hijack the current waterfront plan and thereby to subvert a project promising long term benefits for all Torontonians. My faith in the system of local government has been restored in great degree recently by communications such as yours.

[Terry]

We don't need the anxious buffonery of the Ford brothers to undermine a great, well-considered, sustainable, and budgeted plan already in place. The real estate will be valuable if we follow the original plan and create proper floodplains and parks. The Ford brothers need to direct their energies on learning how to budget and to stop wasting our time, money, and energy on undermining great projects.

[Concerned Citizen]

Don't celebrate too early - the so called compromise circulated by Milczyn suggests a mechanism loaded on flowerly talk of consultations when it's really about reopening the EA for the existing scheme and taking control over the planning process for the remaining land in the area.

[Rene]

I actually don't like either plans. They are both extremes . I think a mixed residential and recreational area is good . But I would also put in some new attraction for all the GTA to enjoy. Nothing to extreme but perhaps a water front park modelled after Central Park in NYC. Park plan with some small tourist like shops, a petting zoo etc.......

[Vincent de Tourdonnet]

"The new proposal has some exciting elements...a yacht club in the harbour area, attractive roadways, streetscapes, etc. These are all worth looking at closely and adopting as part of the overall plan if practical."

Thanks you Mr. Parker for the overall support of the remarkable vision of Waterfront Toronto, and making your position clear. I'm concerned, however, about the above statement. More roadways and Yacht clubs? Really? Can't we have one part of Toronto that's not about roadways and motor sports? Roadways are exactly what this vision does not emphasize, please don't let the Fordites dilute that. There are plenty of roadways in Mississauga, and you see what it makes that place. And Toronto harbour is not currently filled with yachts, but more with sailboats. Yachts spew fumes, do we really want to encourage huge motor-boats in lake Ontario harbour? A canoe club, sail club, kayaking, windsurfing, swimming, these things could be encouraged, in my humble opinion. But again, though, thanks for making your position clear, and supporting the overall intent of this awesome project.

[James Spooner]

Thank you for recognizing all of the years of work and money that has already been spent on developing a plan that has had so much support from the citizens of Toronto. I wish my councillor Ana Bailao's response had been such but alas she sat on the fence and didn't recognize the importance of the Don river work and didn't acknowledge a belief in a liveable city.

[Jolly Wally]

This is an ill founded quickly conceived, disperate idea without real structure or thought. It's a knee jerk response to the " gravy train cut" that doesn't exist so promised by our illustrious "foot-balling" Mayor and his Worship's dedicated Fools of supporting Councillors. Sorry Mr. Mayor but you are off side at the line of scrimmage! The whistle has blown.

I suppose the next step will be to tear down the Gardiner expressway and create a walking causeway to the lake that is already obstructed by privately built condo buildings. Take a close look at your surroundings downtown especially along Front/Fleet Street and the harbour front and verify this for yourselves if there is any real Public access left. IT's been sold out!

May I suggest that that Mayor Ford place his MEGA Ferris wheel in the back yard of his mother's home in Etobicoke so that he can entertain all those so called good guy "Nero-Conservatives" that he likes to invite. As a suggestion, I visited England just recently and he might want to top the Brit's Ferris wheel...it's actually very nice, enclosed from the elements and comfortable.

Maybe the Federal Government can give him some money from their "Action Plan" to erect it. After all, Tony Clement managed to siphon a few bucks out the kitty to boost his popularity in Parry Sound. Maybe Mr. Ford can cash in as well. Mr. Harper do you have a few bucks to spare? If so you might get invited to another Ford BBQ.