United on the Lakeshore: Parkdale - High Park Waterfront Group

In the September 2006 Village Gleaner newspaper you will find an article that traces the history of the very effective Parkdale - High Park Waterfront Group.   (This group liaises frequently with the Parkdale Residents Association, but is a separate community organization.)

United on the Lakeshore
Making waves in election campaign

The Parkdale-High Park Waterfront Group has undergone a minor transformation to its name, but a major transformation in the potential influence it may have on the state of the western Toronto waterfront.

Now known as the Parkdale-High Park Residents Waterfront roup (PHPRWG), the group changed its name to indicate that its steering committee is now composed of representatives from all five Ward 14 residents associations. The group invited corresponding organizations and residents from Ward 13 to participate as well.
To date, the group includes representaives of the Parkdale, West Bend, High Park, Roncesvalles-Macdonnell, and Sunnyside residents associations. Swansea Area Ratepayers Association president Nick Singh has attended meetings, and the Bloor West Village Residents Association has been invited as well.

Covering such a large area may lead to logistical problems, as members will have to travel further to attend meeetings, said Roger Brook, provisional chair of the PHPRWG.
Also known as the Save the Waterfront Group, it hopes to became a recognized liaison between city officials and the community in matters relating to changes along the western waterfront- including an upcoming master plan document that will go before the city’s budget and finance committee in early September.

The group originally was formed three years ago to fight the Front Street Extension. Brook and the waterfront group’s founder David White, who has since stepped down from the group’s steering committeee to run for city councillor of Ward 14 (Parkdale-High Park) in the Nov. 13 muncipal election, have been present in numerous media sources talking about western waterfront issues.
“I think one of the things we have to do is make sure this [master plan document] has good terms of reference that really help the community. It’ll take a little while to work through it and propose ideas and get them accepted.

“But the starting point is access. It’s really hard to get from Parkdale to the waterfront. It’s really not very friendly for pedestrians, so I think that’s one of the major things we have to address,” White said.

“We want people walking, driving and biking to the waterfront, not just one,” Brook said.
Brook also appeared on an Aug. 21 broadcast of community raido CIUT 89.5 FM’s The Radical Reverend, which is hosted by current Parkdale-High Park NDP MPP candidate Cheri DiNovo to encourage the provincial candidates to walk the western waterfront on Aug. 28, along with members of the group and the media. DiNovo, Progressive Conservative candidate David Hutcheon, and Green Party candiate Frank de Jong attended.

Village Gleaner, September 2006
By Matt Lang