YQNA has existed for 22 years and is right now in jeopardy. It started with three residents having coffee at a Starbucks, when the Waterfront was quite unattractive and facing major developments. We were new to the area and wanted a say in the future, so we decided to start a neighbourhood association.
The timing was right. We soon attracted residents to YQNA and had plenty of volunteers. They were active in major decisions about buildings, parks and the design of Queens Quay. We all learned from working closely with politicians, planners, developers, Waterfront Toronto, the Waterfront BIA, Harbourfront Centre, the media and many other civic organizations. We watched the Waterfront grow, and many friendships were formed.
Why is this history important now? YQNA appears to have reached an impasse in active membership. People attend our meetings and are clearly interested in our neighbourhood, but hardly any volunteer. At this point, we really need more people to participate or YQNA could fold.
Our wonderful Chair Angelo Bertolas resigned after 7 years, and we are still looking for two co-chairs to replace him. They will take turns chairing our 5 public meetings each year, and talk to media when needed. We also need volunteers to meet every two months with Toronto Police 52 Division; the parks designers at Waterfront Toronto; a support group for Harbourfront Centre and FoSTRA (a coalition of downtown neighbourhood associations). A secretary is needed to create minutes of our public meetings helped by AI. These tasks are interesting and do not require much time. No expertise is needed, just an open mind.
If we want to keep YQNA alive, I urge you to pitch in. YQNA has a great track record and is respected by our many collaborators. Those interested in volunteering or getting more information, click here.
Ulla Colgrass
Planning Committee Chair
YQNA
Earlier this year, I had the unexpected opportunity to become the Chair of the York Quay Neighbourhood Association (YQNA). It is an exciting role with a lot of potential. After attending a YQNA public Zoom meeting last year, I offered to volunteer and was welcomed into the YQNA by our former Chair, Angelo Bertolas. He was leading a keen group of residents for several years and had built a robust foundation for YQNA.
As the new Chair of YQNA, my priority is to listen to our neighbours and focus on developments that could affect us in positive or negative ways. We live on a fast-growing Waterfront, and our aim is to make it the best place to live, work, and play.
Just over nine years ago, I moved here from the suburbs. I feel at home in this dynamic neighbourhood that accommodates an influx of workers and tourists, unlike my previous suburban community. We must continue to build and protect the Waterfront by working with community partners, like the Harbourfront Centre and Waterfront Toronto, to ensure a balance of attractions for visitors and amenities for residents.
I look forward to serving YQNA and working with all of you.
Join us on Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 for a YQNA Community Meeting. Invitation to follow.
This upcoming event will include presentations by the Waterfront BIA and Gerstein Crisis Centre. Representatives from the TTC will be present and take questions about the ongoing maintenance to the 508 Harbourfront streetcar and improvements to the bus replacement service. Cathy Loblaw, new Harbourfront Centre CEO, will introduce herself to the community.
Last week, representatives of YQNA met with our deputy mayor and city councillor, Ausma Malik. We appreciated the invitation to discuss pressing issues like Harbourfront Centre and plans for Runway End Safety Area (RESA) extensions at Toronto Island Airport. We also discussed upcoming work on the Rees Street Park project and temporary closure of the 509 Harbourfront streetcar.
Give back to our community. We are seeking interested volunteers to participate in our ongoing work in this vibrant neighbourhood. If you are interested, please contact our Chair Ryan Singh, at [email protected].
YQNA held its 100th meeting May 14, 2024, a milestone also because Angelo Bertolas stepped down after seven years as our highly skilled and popular chair. We are fortunate to welcome Ryan Singh as our new chair — the two are seen here side by side.
YQNA meetings will from now on be available as videos on YouTube, with Minutes of the meeting as usual posted in the Documents section of our website. See the meeting on YouTube and read the Minutes here. Guest speaker was Nerys Rau, project director of George Brown College’s Limberlost Place, the newest addition to their fast-growing waterfront campus.
YQNA has a lot more going on than appears at our open meetings, which usually attract 150 people on Zoom. Members and guest speakers cover as many subjects as possible in two hours. But between our public meetings every two months, ideas and problems crop up and need our attention. Just a handful of people do this work. More are joining, but more are needed, and you are invited to share this exciting work with us.
What will new members in our Planning Committee find? Naturally they will gain new insights into planning, traffic, tourism, policing, lake levels, ecology, pollution, parks, boating and much more. We read proposals from developers and the City, interact with politicians and people in charge of roads and transit, and jump on urgent problems. It is rewarding to see how many important Waterfront developments we have influenced in very positive ways, often in collaboration with other civic groups. Our active members meet on Zoom in these pandemic times.
If you are new to YQNA and wonder what is going on behind the scenes, take a look at this website. By reading a few Minutes of the Meetings in the Documents section, or our letters to agencies who shape our neighbourhood, you might find something that spurs your interest. Do consider contributing your ideas and time, and jump onboard by writing to [email protected]. YQNA attracts residents who want to ensure that our neighbourhood remains the most desirable anywhere. It is an extra bonus that our volunteers always have a good time together.