LETTER TO COUNCILLOR GRIMES REQUESTING THAT CROWN LAND ON THIS SITE REMAIN IN THE PUBLIC REALM TO FURTHER THE VISION OF THE CITY'S OFFICIAL PLAN

February 16, 2010

Councillor Mark Grimes
Toronto City Hall
100 Queen Street West, Suite C48 Toronto, ON M5H 2N2

Dear Councillor Grimes,

Re: Community desire to create and maintain windows on the lake and public access to the waterfront including 51 Lake Shore Drive

As you are aware over the past three years our community has demonstrated tremendous interest in the various development applications for 51 Lake Shore Drive and the issues and impacts created by these applications to our community and neighbourhoods.
A website was created devoted solely to informing the public on the development applications at 51 Lake Shore Drive.
Community meetings have drawn over a hundred citizens, there is an e-mail distribution list of over three hundred interested people who have formed an ad hoc association, 17 residents declared themselves either a party or a participant at the OMB hearing, community groups are involved, and countless letters and e-mails have been written regarding the development proposals at 51 Lake Shore Drive.
One common thread throughout the community interest is a strong belief in our lakeside community and that waterfront land, when ever possible, should provide public access and offer vistas of the lake.
We are pleased to see these ideals and concepts reflected in our City’s Official Plan (2.3.2) “the waterfront, which stretches from Marie Cutis to Rouge Beach Park, is a major feature of the Green Space System … over time, lands on the water’s edge should become a network of publicly accessible open spaces … connected by a continuous waterfront trail”.
There are excellent examples of this vision being realized in South Etobicoke. Special mention must be made of the tremendous work being done by the City and the Province to create the linear park and Waterfront Trail extension alongside the lake in Mimico - a huge step on the path to fulfilling this dream.
51 Lake Shore Drive offers another wonderful opportunity to expand the vision and goal of linking the community and the lake. It is likely that the Province will soon lay claim to all or some of the lake-fill land on the south end of the 51 Lake Shore Drive. If this happens the province will declare the south end of 51 Lake Shore Drive publicly owned land and likely identify it as surplus land.
When reviewing applications to purchase the Crown land along the shoreline at 51 Lake Shore Drive, we request the Ministry of Natural Resources refuse all such applications.
To consider this portion of the shoreline as a stand alone piece of property is not in the interest of our community or the City’s Official Plan goals and stated purpose.
The properties adjacent to 51 Lake Shore Drive, 41 and 33 Lake Shore Drive, as well as Prince of Wales Park, are all properties that have a portion of land that is lake-fill built on the lake bottom. The addition of lake-fill at these properties was done at the same time the fill was done at 51 Lake Shore Drive. When viewed in its entirety the value of this continuous strip of lakefront is far greater than its individual parts and it is of vital importance to the long-range vision for the community and the City as a whole.
The residents at 41 Lake Shore Drive may have been granted access and use of their strip of lake-fill for a fixed number of years by the TRCA, which they have claimed. However, the eventual vision for this area is for a continuous waterfront trail and park system as evidenced by the G Zone designation for the infill portions of the previously mentioned addresses and Prince of Wales Park.
We request that the Province not declare the crown-owned land at 51 Lake Shore Drive surplus to their needs and sell the property. We request that the province put the crown-owned land under the control of the TRCA, and we request the City of Toronto maintain it as part of the park currently located at the bottom of the public roadway on Fourth Street.
Local residents were very enthusiastic in their offer to support the City’s Official Plan and vision by fundraising for a bench and landscaping in this location, an unfenced spot that has always been considered public parkland.
In the future the Province will probably seek title to the other lake-fill pieces. We are proposing that the City, TRCA and province partner together to create a working precedent for extending public realm land on the waterfront by guaranteeing public access and a vista on the lake at 51 Lake Shore Drive.
We greatly appreciate anything that you can do as a City Councillor to further the establishment and continuation of public access and a window on the lake for the public on crown-owned land at 51 Lakeshore Drive.

Sincerely,
K T
Co-spokesperson
Fifty-One Lake Shore Drive Ad Hoc Association of Concerned Citizens

cc: Laurel Broten, MPP Etobicoke-Lakeshore
Linda Jeffrey, Minister of Natural Resources
Chris Hislop, Ministry of Natural Resources
Mayor David Miller
Sheila Paxton, Executive Assistant to Councillor Grimes
Greg Hobson-Garcia, City Planner
Mark Rapus, TRCA

LATEST STATEMENT FROM LAUREL BROTEN, MPP ETOBICOKE-LAKESHORE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2010

“The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) staff has conducted a site visit at 51 Lake Shore Drive and is still in the process of reviewing the file and associated documentation. Other government agencies (Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, City of Toronto) have provided MNR with some additional information on the subject property that is being reviewed as part of the process. District staff continues to discuss the file with the Office of the Surveyor General. In this particular case, it is difficult to determine a Crown/private boundary along the shoreline with over 100 years of historic activities and alterations since the 1909 plan of subdivision was prepared.

My office has been asked whether there is a policy in place with regard to the sale of crown waterfront land to developers for private residential development. We have followed up with the Ministry and been advised that, generally, MNR may consider disposing of filled Crown land to any backshore property owner subject to applicable policies and procedures. Any concerns related to future development of the site are dealt with through the municipal planning process and the Planning Act. MNR has no role in the municipal process regarding any future development of the property.

We are continuing to monitor MNR’s assessment and will ensure that the community is made aware should we be advised of any decision made on the ownership of the lake front land at 51 Lake Shore Drive. We will continue to work with Councillor Grimes’ office and to advise the community as soon as possible should any decision be made to sell provincially owned crown land.”

Laurel Broten. MPP

Etobicoke-Lakeshore

OMB DECISION AGAINST DEVELOPER IN BEACH SIMILAR TO 51 LAKE SHORE DRIVE

Follow the link to the OMB decision on Neville Park Blvd, on the waterfront in the Beach, which is essential reading for all interested in 51 Lake Shore Drive.  Note the importance given to the preservation of the common built form in areas zoned "Neighbourhoods" - like ours.
Click on OMB E-Decisions and enter PL081443 in the Search bar.  Choose the third option - January 6th 2010 decision.