Local environmentalists are urging Beach residents to learn more about the future of Toronto’s waterfront lands during upcoming meetings.
A Feb. 23 virtual presentation by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) will look at Toronto waterfront projects along Lake Ontario.
“The face of Toronto’s waterfront is transforming and providing huge benefits to visitors, residents, and the natural environment. Many large-scale projects are currently underway to upgrade infrastructure, control erosion, and reduce elevated nutrient levels,” said the TRCA on its website.
“Not only do these undertakings increase the functionality of the waterfront – they also provide habitat for aquatic and terrestrial species, create recreational opportunities, and impart a more aesthetic and enjoyable user experience. Join us for this two-part Lake Ontario Evening as we highlight some of these large projects from East to West and showcase the incredible feats of engineering and design being implemented to help move Toronto closer to delisting as an Area of Concern.
The Feb. 23 presentation will be Part One of the two-part series by the TRCA.
“At this Lake Ontario Evening, we will discuss projects in the eastern side of the Toronto and Region Area of Concern. The western projects will be discussed at the Lake Ontario Evening on Thursday, March 23, 2023,” said the TRCA.
Panelists for the Feb. 23 presentation will be Vlad Petran (Senior Engineer, City of Toronto); Kevin Waher (Senior Project Engineer, Hatch); and Jet Taylor (Manager, Capital and Special Projects, TRCA).
The TRCA said the Feb. 23 presentation is intended for a general audience and will include beginner level information and intermediate concepts.
To register to be part of the online presentation that takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 23, please go to https://trca.ca/events-calendar/#event=a-lake-ontario-evening-on-following-toronto-and-regions-largest-waterfront-projects-from-east-to-west;instance=20230223173000?popup=1
Also, the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Project is ongoing.
Beacher Clyde Robinson said it is important that local residents are aware of the project and are able to offer input on it.
“I would assume that some Ward 19 (Beaches-East York) residents would like to not only be involved in what’s going on, but also to provide input of their own,” he said.
Of special importance, is an emerging natural habitat area that is located on the far west end of Woodbine Beach.
As reported in Beach Metro Community News, earlier, the meadow and dunes in that area have become home to wide variety of plants, animals and insects.
However, at this time there is no formal plan for what the future of that area will be and there are currently no protections in place for it.
See our earlier story at: https://beachmetro.com/2022/11/01/rare-natural-habitat-on-west-end-of-woodbine-beach-needs-protection-say-environmentalists/
Robinson told Beach Metro Community News that he and other East Toronto residents were not made aware of public meetings held on the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Project in February and March of 2022, and he wants to make sure the community is aware of any meetings planned for this year.
At this time, there has not been an announcement on public meetings for 2023 on the revitalization project.
Some information on the meetings last year and more details on the revitalization project can be found at https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/waterfront/initiatives/current-projects/next-phase-of-waterfront-revitalization/
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