York Quay Neighbourhood Association covers Toronto’s iconic Central Waterfront, with members in every building. YQNA is actively engaged in what shapes our neighbourhood – traffic, transit, planning, cultural and social events, policing, environment, noise, businesses, and the great urban renewal transforming Queens Quay. YQNA welcomes all residents to participate, share their ideas and enjoy our events.
Noise Alert!
The City is trying to change the Noise Bylaw — and not in our favour. The changes would allow noise inside our homes from an outside source (amplified music, construction, clubs , etc.) at 85 dBA from 7 am to 11 pm. That is equal to a snow blower running all day! New York City’s dBA limit for homes is 42 dBA.
To make matters worse, residents can only contest excessive noise by having an inspector from Municipal Licences and Standards (MLS) visit their homes to measure the sound levels. The MLS’s few noise inspectors failed to monitor outdoor noise levels in the past, so how could this new system work for us?
York Quay Neighbourhood Association (YQNA) studied the proposed changes and strongly objects. On the Waterfront, we have more than a dozen outdoor concert venues with hundreds of live music events a year. We also have party boats on the lake with amplified music, and airplanes overhead from the island airport.
We urge you strongly to speak up. Insist on keeping the old bylaw, which protects residents from being disturbed in their own homes at all hours, and allows them to present evidence of disturbance. Once these general prohibitions are gone, your health and privacy could be on the line. Provincial legislation limits the noise at point of reception — such as your home — to 50 dBA. The City now asks us to live with 85 dBA, which is 12 times the 50 dBA on a calibrated scale!
YQNA is urging residents, councillors and neighbourhood associations to object to this change. We have until Feb. 15, 2016 to add our voices. The City document is here.
You may use this content in your protest:
- I, (or neighbourhood association or other civic group) strongly protest the proposed changes to the City Noise Bylaw. I request that the General Prohibition (591-1), which protects residents from being disturbed in their own homes at all hours, and allows them to present evidence of disturbance, remain unchanged.
- No multiple noise exemptions can be granted to concert venues, but must be granted one by one and be approved by the local city councillor.
Emails or letters should go to:
Jessica Walters
Jwalter2@toronto.ca
Senior Policy and Research Officer
Municipal Licensing and Standards
City Hall, 100 Queen Street West, West Tower, 16th Floor
Toronto, ON, M5H 2N2
Please share this information with as many as possible.
You can speak to this issue at the next public meeting by Municipal Licensing and Standards on February 17th, 2016 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at City Hall, 2nd Floor, Committee Room 1.
Message to YQNA Residents – News from Harbourfront
Dear YQNA friends,
Harbourfront Centre offers both entertainment, culture and education.
Below is a list of the courses they offer this winter.
We have updated information on YQNA’s website, so take a look at
www.yqna.ca. Among other things are new photos from our successful
recent garage sale.
Greetings,
Sara Hsieh
YQNA Communications
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Harbourfront Centre’s Courses & Workshops provide adults and families with exciting, fun and creative learning experiences!
Explore a new genre! Expand a skill! Embark upon a learning adventure of a lifetime! Harbourfront Centre’s stimulating Courses & Workshops return for a third year with a wide range of new programmes including creative workshops for families. The fall semester of Courses & Workshops runs from October to December, 2007.
Register early as courses and workshops require a minimum number of participants. To register or for more information, the public can call 416-952-4046 or visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com/courses.
We are trying to inform as many area residents as possible. If you have a newsletter, could we be included? Would you be able to post this information on your website or distribute in any other available manner to area residents?
Please see information below. If you click onto the document below, it links directly to our Courses & Workshops website that contains complete programme information.
Best regards,
Linda
—
Linda Liontis
Media Relations
Harbourfront Centre
235 Queens Quay West
Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2G8
Phone: 416-973-4381
Fax: 416-973-6055
Email: lliontis@harbourfrontcentre.com
http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com
Sun and fun garage sale!
YQNA had a successful Garage Sale at the Radisson Hotel on Sunday, September 23rd, 2007. An energetic group of members on Queens Quay pulled it all together. They filled the empty store front with donations from condos in our area; they promoted the event and brought in plenty of customers; and they got volunteers working for four days.
The sun was shining on YQNA in more ways than one, because we raised $1,500. As an added bonus, we had a lot of fun working together and meeting new people in the neighbourhood. We’ll keep most of the proceeds for YQNA projects, but a generous donation of $500 went to the scholarship fund for underprivileged youth, sponsored by our friends at Toronto Police 52 Division.
Local businesses gave generously, especially prizes for the raffle. Our MPP Rosario Marchese dropped by to visit and to pick the winners. Many thanks to the following businesses for donating these raffle prizes:
Toula Restaurant at Westin Harbour Castle Hotel: Dinner for two ($200 value)
Pier 4 Restaurant: $70 gift certificate
Il Fornello: $50 gift certificate
Swiss Chalet: 6 vouchers for 1/4 chicken dinners ($45 value)
Shoppers Drug Mart: bag of items including cosmetics, skin care, and 15% off coupon valid till Dec. 31 (over $100 value)
Pharmasave: L’Oreal Skin Treatment $50+ value
Second Cup: 2 bags of specialty teas, tea canisters, teacups, and Belgian chocolates (each bag $80+ value)
Sobey’s: $30 in gift certificates
David Hillis Salon: Salon packages:
1. Colour with Hanna, Cut and Blow dry with Sangeeta, Make-up with Kimberly – $125 value
2. Cut with Rose and Manicure with Ildiko – $82 value
3. Cut and Blow dry with Melissa – $55 value
Harbourfront Centre, signed novels:
Mr. Potter by Jamaica Kincaid
Step Across This Line by Salman Rushdie
You Can’t Read This by Val Ross
Voyageur by Robert Twigger
In Bad Taste? by Dr. Massimo Francesco Marcone
The Stowaway by Robert Hough
4. Power Plant: 2 family passes
5.HarbourKIDS passes: voucher for 4 passes to Luminarium, $20 value
6. Wheel Excitement: child’s cycling helmet and accessories
A huge thank you to the Radisson Admiral Hotel for the generous donation of space and furnishings for this event, and for their continued hospitality at our bi-monthly meetings.
Involuntary entertainment?
YQNA’s Planning and Development Committee is following the exciting square that is planned west of Air Canada Centre. It will hold 4000 people. ACC developers are applying for a permit for a large video screen to entertain the crowds. It would be 11 by 6.4 meters and about 10 meters off the ground. The ACC wants to add amplified sound as well as advertisements from sponsors. In other words, it will be like a giant TV.
The neighbouring Maple Leaf Square appears to have a hotel facing this proposed screen. It could be challenging to have hotel rooms facing this over-sized screen, and the sound would travel upwards into condos and offices above.
Another application for a giant video screen in the same area comes from Maple Leaf Square. When the plans for this huge development were first presented to the public, we were assured that no over-sized video screens would be allowed – and certainly no sound and definitely not giant advertisements. Now they are all popping up. YQNA is working with councillor Pam McConnell on reining in this trend to plaster the Waterfront with giant screens and more noise.