President's Report

Jeff Forsyth

Posted Mar.06

This year’s Winterfest was a great success thanks to the mild weather.  Indications are that we had the largest attendance of any of our previous Winterfests.  Thanks to Mayor Miller for taking time from his busy schedule to attend. Thanks also to the organizing committee and all the volunteers and sponsors who helped make this such a huge success.  Events chair Heather Lemieux has a full report in this newsletter.

We have just gone through a federal election.  Just prior to the election date I was contacted by the Scarborough Mirror and asked to comment on our riding boundary.  I told the Scarborough Mirror that I felt our community was an appendage to the Pickering riding and that there were significant political and geographic boundaries between our community and Pickering.  We have since learned that due to legislation passed by the province the next provincial election expected in 2007 will follow the same riding boundaries as the federal election.  This means we will be part of a riding with Pickering.  We do not think this serves the best interests of our community and will be pursuing ways to have the boundary changed so that we are part of a city of Toronto riding.  Our youth chair Paul Lewkowicz will write an article for next month’s newsletter that gives more information on this issue. 

As noted last year, the City of Toronto undertook an Environmental Assessment to study ways to increase the output of the F.J. Horgan Water Treatment Plant (Manse Road and Lake Ontario) and build an additional trunk water main to distribute the increased output to the community.  The decision was made to increase the size of the existing water plant.  The city has now completed the environmental assessment for the trunk water main and has issued the “Notice of Completion “of the study that details the proposed routing of the water main.  A copy of the report is available at the Port Union Library for anyone who wishes to review it. 

For a number of years this association held a “50’s” dance each spring.  A few years ago we were unable to sell enough tickets to the dance and we had to cancel it.  We have not held a dance since then.  Our neighbours in West Rouge have had a similar experience with dances.  The result is that none of the community associations presently holds a dance.  We have discussed the possibility of holding a combined community dance with our neighbours in West Rouge.  Event chair Heather Lemeiux will be looking into this further.  We would welcome any thoughts or ideas you may have.

With the opening of the new 43 Division Police Station at Lawrence Ave and Manse Rd. we would like to welcome Superintendent Paul Gottschalk to our community.  We look forward to working with Paul and his staff on policing issues in our community.   This new police station will also have a section for the Emergency Medical Services unit.  This section of the building has yet to be completed but it should be up and running about the middle of the year.

Remember Earth Day is April 22.  Chris Welch will have more details in next month’s newsletter.

Jeff Forsyth