Toronto's Island Park, enjoyed by over one million visitors a year, has beavers, eagles, heron, and many other forms of wildlife. All living things are subjected to pollution.

In the announcement for the funding of waterfront redevelopment Torontonians were promised a “clean, green” waterfront …“with thousands of acres of wetlands, green corridors, parks, forest and wildlife.”

If we are left with an airport on our waterfront, we will never achieve this dream, but if this airport is converted into a park, open to everyone, Toronto will have a waterfront with the most spectacular setting of any city in North America. It will truly be a “clean, green waterfront” where all Torontonians and every visitor can enjoy themselves and reconnect with the natural world.

The Music Garden on the Waterfront, is subject to the incessant droning of aircraft.

The city’s waterfront plan is underpinned by four key principles:

• removing barriers
  
  
• building spectacular waterfront parks
  
  
• promoting a clean, green environment
  
  
• creating dynamic and diverse new communities

As long as the island airport remains we will never be able to achieve these principles. With a park these lands will become an inviting gateway from the western beaches, across the Western Gap by ferry to the enlarged island park, and from the island across the Eastern Gap to the new parks in the Port Lands and the eastern beaches. The conversion of the airport into a park will create a continuous waterfront greenbelt from Etobicoke to Scarborough.

The air of Little Norway Park often smells of jet fuel from the Island Airport.

Only by closing the island airport and turning the land into open, public space that can be enjoyed by all will we be able to realize the promise of a clean, green waterfront.