Letters

I very much enjoyed reading the letter from Margo Holland in the March issue, and wholeheartedly agreed with her sentiments. Please let her know she is not alone!

Following is the text of a letter I sent to NAV Canada, copying John Parker, Kathleen Wynne and the GTAA:

I read your letter to John Carmichael dated January 17, 2013 with great interest. However, none of your words changed the fact that my enjoyment of my home, my property and my neighbourhood has been negatively impacted by the changes you have enacted. And I am certainly not the only resident that feels this way. 

I’ve lived in Leaside for 25 years, and my parents and grandparents lived in this unique neighbourhood before me. My home, although not big on space, is huge on comfort and charm.

The neighbourhood itself has always been a small oasis of calm in the city. Lots of green space, parks, old growth trees, tranquility and peace. Our vacations have typically been taken in the summer when we can fully enjoy our back garden (which we’ve put a lot of personal elbow grease, in addition to expense, into), sitting on the patio late into the night relishing the tranquility and quiet.

That enjoyment has now been shattered as most nights there is
the boom, roar and scream of aircraft flying very low and turning directly over our heads, every couple of minutes.

And it isn’t just when you’re outside – if I’m in my home and there is no TV or radio on, that same noise is only marginally muffled by closed windows, walls and roof.

I was asleep in bed recently and at 4:42 a.m. awoke to the roar of an aircraft overhead. Most evenings when I look skyward to the southwest I can see a continuous line of lights from approaching aircraft that will pass and turn directly over my home.

And I suppose all of this lovely traffic also means no more sleeping with the windows open during nice weather…

That there is a necessity for aircraft to fly this low over a neighbourhood that is some 30 kilometres distant from the airport, is insane.

That no remedy can be found, that taxpayers and long-standing property owners are told simply to put up and shut up, is insulting.

That any organization or government is allowed to negatively impact our lives and our property values with no penalty is infuriating to say the least.

I sincerely hope that every person who was involved in making this decision loses their enjoyment of their home in the very near future, and is left with no voice concerning the matter.

You can spin every explanation you want to, but this situation is wrong, unfair, unjust, and just plain sad – and the fact the Pearson air traffic route change was made secretly without any discussion with residents, doesn’t speak well of NAV Canada’s intentions.

Brenda Lord, Rumsey Rd.

I have lived in Leaside for some 46 years, and each and every month now I look forward to reading my copy of Leaside Life.  Each seems to outdo the last issue and your team produces an informative product time and time again. Cheers, to a job well done!

Bill Vincent, Sutherland Dr.

Carol Burtin Fripp has offered some very good solutions in the March 2013 issue of Leaside Life to resolve the missing link of transit from Sutherland and Bayview to Davisville. She proposes using the St. Clair subway station rather than Davisville station.

It is reasonable to anticipate the needs of an aging population using public transit to access medical facilities.

It is unreasonable to expect that many will be able to walk to transit from south of Davisville to access them. It is unreasonable to expect that they may be able to drive to them. It is unreasonable, if they can drive, to have them pay to use high-priced parking lots.

It is reasonable to use improved bus service at less cost to the user and the environment. It is reasonable to promote and provide accessible transportation using the TTC  from the St. Clair station for a variety of reasons as Ms. Fripp has outlined to fix the TTC gap.

Her ideas should be fully explored by the TTC.

Barb Oyler, Airdrie Rd.