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Toronto's loved Waterfront — to live, play and work
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An Open Invitation from YQNA

by YQNA January 5, 2022
A beautiful winter view of Lake Ontario at our front door. Photo by Jack Gilbert

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.

January 5, 2022 0 comment
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yqna

Is YQNA Political?

by YQNA November 20, 2021
The Simcoe WaveDeck on Queens Quay West. Photo: Waterfront Toronto

This is a good time to make YQNA’s role clear as the neighbourhood association of the Central Waterfront. Since we began in 2003, we have had the same mandate — to give voice to people who live and work here, so they can engage in the fast-moving developments. Everybody is welcome. 

YQNA has worked with over 40 organizations, such as City departments, Waterfront Toronto, Harbourfront Centre, developers, ecologists, planners, architects, law firms, businesses, and we entered successful protests and lawsuits to protect the Waterfront. 

As a public and impartial service, YQNA has hosted many all-candidates meetings over the years to help residents cast their vote. After election, we have worked closely with local politicians from all levels of government, because they are essential for us to achieve our goals. Information flows between us. The municipal, provincial and federal politicians attend all YQNA’s public meetings to answer questions and report on developments. Yes, we appreciate them as our allies regardless of their political stripe.

Ergo, the answer to the headline is NO. 

November 20, 2021 0 comment
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meetingyqna

YQNA Meets in Cyberspace

by YQNA May 25, 2020
Angelo Bertolas chairs the meeting from his home office.

YQNA answered an urgent need to meet with Waterfront residents in a Zoom meeting on May 12 (see the draft minutes here). Co-chairs Angelo Bertolas and Carolyn Johnson managed a packed agenda and large crowd in our first cyberspace adventure. No need to remind anybody how much our lives have changed with the pandemic. A number of speakers told us about the restraints we face this summer, with the Waterfront reduced to a nature retreat from the usual cultural centre with millions of visitors. This will last until we recover. Still City Councillor Joe Cressy was concerned about too many people flocking here too close together. Both he and MPP Chris Glover and MP Adam Vaughan worried about people who are affected by the weakened economy. They hope to move the homeless from tents along the Waterfront into permanent housing with government help. They pointed out other needs for government funding for food and income security, small businesses, childcare centres, affordable housing, TTC, the airline industry and so many more.

Harbourfront Centre has cancelled all events. Tour boats might resume sailing in July, reported Mariposa. Meanwhile, kayaks, canoes and private boats are plying the lake. Some uplifting news came from Bryan Bowen of the Waterfront Secretariat. He explained elaborate plans for the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood, now under construction. Lynn Robinson of the Toronto Island Community Association reported that water levels in Lake Ontario have peaked, so flooding is probably avoided this year, but efforts continue to find permanent safety for our vibrant waterfront communities. Also good news from Enbridge Gas, which needs to install pipelines here from east to west: it will not be on Queens Quay, but on Lake Shore Boulevard. We thank everybody who reacted to YQNA’s request to keep Queens Quay intact.

This meeting attracted a good crowd and a prominent line of speakers, so we are planning another Zoom event in the middle of July. Look for the invitation!

May 25, 2020 0 comment
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Queens Quayyqna

New Boundaries for YQNA

by YQNA October 6, 2017

Photo: Hendrik Hart

Photo: Hendrik Hart

YQNA is changing boundaries. We are moving along Queens Quay to the west, to reach from Yonge St. to Spadina Ave. (no longer Rees St.) At the same time we are pulling back on the north side, from the train tracks down to Lake Shore Blvd. and Harbour St., hoping the new condo buildings north of us will establish their own neighbourhood associations. We were encouraged to also move further east where developments are happening quickly all the way to the Port Lands, but we don’t have the capacity to get involved in the details of it. We are hoping the future residents on Queens Quay East will organize and get involved.

The change was up for a vote at a packed meeting at the Radisson Admiral Hotel. A name change of YQNA was also on the agenda — from York Quay to Queens Quay Neighbourhood Association (QQNA). It would reflect our location on the Waterfront and carry the name of Toronto’s most prominent boulevard, but our members felt YQNA is so well established that a name change could have a negative effect, so it was voted down. (Click to see our updated Constitution with new boundaries.)

October 6, 2017 0 comment
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Farewell to John Campbell

by YQNA October 12, 2015

JohnCampbell

John Campbell (r) with his wife Margie and Bob Fung (l), his predecessor at Waterfront Toronto, enjoying the lively farewell party.

John Campbell is stepping down after 12 years as CEO of Waterfront Toronto (WT). He has navigated many beautiful projects through choppy waters on the Waterfront, and has prepared for new developments as far as the Port Lands. John’s tremendous business skills and diplomacy made him a perfect leader of what is North America’s largest urban renewal project. His popularity reached into the Waterfront communities, where he engaged residents and businesses in the planning of parks, streets, WaveDecks, Queens Quay redesign, boardwalks and new buildings in precinct plans. Our ideas were welcomed, as we soaked up lots of knowledge during hundreds of hours in committees and public and private meetings.

YQNA decided to throw a farewell party for John on a warm September evening on the pool deck of the Radisson Admiral Hotel overlooking the lake. Five other neighbourhood associations joined as hosts – from Gooderham Warts, West Don Lands, St. Lawrence, Toronto Islands and Bathurst Quay – as well as the Waterfront BIA. A large crowd of residents, business owners, planners, civil servants, politicians, architects and developers paid tribute to John.

Ambassadors

The Waterfront BIA’s popular Singing Ambassadors performed “T.O. the Waterfront,” a song dedicated to John Campbell. Michael Colgrass (centre) wrote the music, Anna Prodanou the lyrics.

Among the gifts was a new song, “T.O. the Waterfront,” created by local artists Michael Colgrass and Anna Prodanou. It was dedicated to John and performed by the WBIA’s Singing Ambassadors. Hear the song with Waterfront clips on YouTube. Another gift from residents was a one-of-a-kind book of images, collected from many sources to capture the Waterfront transformation under John’s tenure. The party was a heartfelt send-off for a person who is well-liked and will remain in Toronto’s history as an important city builder. The new CEO of WT was not yet announced at this writing.

October 12, 2015 0 comment
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Newer Posts
Older Posts

Waterfront Happenings

Learn about the grassroots volunteer group Repair Café Toronto.

Sign petitions to bring back Harbourfront Centre’s skating rink here and (thanks to MP Kevin Vuong) here.

Cruise ships in Toronto Bay?

Underground cable repairs along Queens Quay.

Narrower sidewalks by Love Park for a while.

Learn about traffic improvements on Queens Quay West.

Take a look at the fascinating history of Toronto's Waterfront.

Fill out a Waterfront BIA survey to help shape our public spaces.

Big Waterfront park can transform Toronto.

City Planner Tommy Karapalevski on development at 390-396 Queens Quay West.

Get your first, second or booster shot at the Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre’s COVID-19 vaccine clinic.

Senior City Planner Susan McAlpine on the latest developments at 200 Queens Quay West.

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YQNA
  • HOME
  • About YQNA
    • YQNA Constitution
    • Mission Statement
    • Who We Are
  • Meeting Minutes
  • Documents
  • Important Links
  • Gallery
  • Donate
  • Join/Contact