Taking a Closer Look at the supporting documents behind the Scarborough Waterfront Project


GREY ABBEY BEACH JANUARY 2017






















In December 2016, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority announced their preferred alternative for the East Segment of the Scarborough Waterfront Project. Unfortunately their decision involves destroying over half the natural shoreline of this segment. They proposed an alternative which places a service road in place of the beach. The artificial structure will be 1.7 km in length and involves lake-filling the area with construction debris,. The structure will be lined with armour rock, altering the side of the geologically significant bluffs as it progresses to the top. This selected alternative will destroy the natural sand beach of this segment, block access to the water, displace local wildlife and degrade the natural beauty of the area. All at the cost of over $60 million to tax paying citizens. 

In an attempt to better understand the TRCA's rationale for this decision, I decided to read the supporting documents that are guiding the Scarborough Waterfront Project. This was a daunting task but I figured if I could find something that would shed light on this project, that it would be worth it. 

The documents are quite varied, some more popular than others, but all the documents are referred to as the foundational documents in the TRCA's Executive Summary of the Environmental Assessment:

  • The Waterfront Plan for the Metropolitan Toronto Planning Area, 1967
  • Watershed Plan, 1980
  • The Waterfront Trail: First Steps from Concept to Reality, 1991
  • Regeneration. Toronto's Waterfront and the Sustainable City: Final Report, 1992
  • Lake Ontario Greenway Strategy, 1995
  • Integrated Shoreline Management Strategy (ISMP), 1996

As I began reading through the documents, I was surprised and refreshed to find that the majority of the documents actually recommend the importance of preserving the natural shoreline of Grey Abbey and East Point. The documents emphasize conservation, protecting wildlife and habitat, and a visionary, generational approach to planning. They introduce the concept of an ecosystem approach to management, recognizing the role of the community, maintaining access to the water and respecting the natural features of a landscape. Not one document suggests placing the trail on the water’s edge of Grey Abbey Beach. Not one policy recommends destroying this natural shoreline. 
So the question remains, why is the TRCA proposing an alternative that is so antithetical to the spirit and intent of each and every one of these documents? 

 Its a good question, and one we all deserve an answer to. 

 To assist with this, I have put together a report that takes a closer look at all the documents. The report draws attention to the key issues surrounding the proposed alternative for Grey Abbey Beach and includes original quotes:


LINK to PDF: Taking a Closer Look

 I hope you have some time to read the report, some of the quotes are inspiring! 

 Please feel free to share it with your contacts.

 Many thanks!
.
Jennifer @ 416-871-5132 jenfalvy@hotmail.com

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