[themarc]

I wish the city would build a second ferry terminal on the west side of the waterfront, maybe near Spadina. The lineups on weekends are just too long for me and I'd really like another alternative. (on certain days it's just excruciating) I also hate the terminal the way it is now and would gladly love to avoid that concrete bunker. I'm sorry but I would not want something that ugly and unpleasant named after a loved one of mine. (Layton deserves better)

I hear ya but I don't think a second terminal is the solution. The current ferry fleet is more than 60 years old! I take the water taxi when I go over. Luc at 5 Star Water Taxi has an excellent service and drops you where you want to go. We are hoping the Port Authority will grant the Island goers access to a planned perimeter road at the airport. There are a few people musing that a gondola across the eastern gap would be an interesting solution. We need to establish buy-in from all the stakeholders - but first you have to get them all talking which is what FOTI is establishing.

The city has told us that having to get more people on and off the island is a problem they'd be hay to solve if the business case was there - so we are working on that too...

 

[nfitz]

Ford promised access from Cherry Beach to the islands in his electoral campaign - at least for bicycles (presumably he doesn't oppose pedestrians). Perhaps the rest of council could encourage him to keep this one promise.

I'd love to go the island more often. I have little desire to use the ferries on any day that I'm not working in the summer. I'd be much happer to take the Pape bus, and walk over.

 

[themarc]

Ford promised access from Cherry Beach to the islands in his electoral campaign - at least for bicycles (presumably he doesn't oppose pedestrians). Perhaps the rest of council could encourage him to keep this one promise.

I'd love to go the island more often. I have little desire to use the ferries on any day that I'm not working in the summer. I'd be much happer to take the Pape bus, and walk over.

@nfitz - can you find me a link to that campaign promise?

Also good news tonight - council voted to keep the farm open for now. We need to keep fundraising. They want to include the farm in the RFP for the amusement park operation but the city's fear is that the farm will cease to be a year round operation if it run in conjunction with the amusement park...

 

[Torontovibe]

^^ Hey, that's great news!

 

[Peepers]

My biggest pet-peeve when it comes to the Toronto Islands is the fact that a virtual monopoly on ALL food concessions has for decades been granted to Beasley Amusements - This is the company that operates the rinky-dink amusement park "Centreville" I think only a couple of establishments on Wards Island and the RCYC are exempt from this monopoly.

What this means is that - unless you pack a lunch and bring your own cooler - you are held hostage to the rip-off food prices of Beasley Amusements once you step off the ferry.

It's been a few years since I was over there but if I recall a bottle of water was close to $3 ! The food options were ridiculously over-priced and of horrible quality.

A ten year contract renewal with Beasley was signed back in 2002:

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/2001/agendas/committees/edp/edp010329/agenda.pdf

This year a one year extension was granted to Beasley with the intent that an RFP will be issued for a new long term contract beginning January 2013.

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2011/mm/bgrd/backgroundfile-42497.pdf

What this means is we NOW have an opportunity to put an end - once and fall all - to the granting of a food concession monopoly on the Islands!

The Toronto Islands should be wide open to food and drink competition. For example food trucks and hot dog stands should be allowed to ply their trade on the Islands in exchange to paying a licence fee.

In addition to food trucks and hot dogs stands - I would open up locations along the shoreline for restaurant operators to build stand-alone licensed restaurants with patio's overlooking the city skyline. Restaurants would have to conform to strict architectural guidelines so that they fit in with the character of the Islands. The stand-alone restaurants could have their own docking facilities allowing them to ferry customers from the mainland as part of a Dinner-Cruise package.

Not one company would have a monopoly on food and drink and they would compete against each other on the basis of price and quality.

The revenue that the City could realize by having numerous food operators on the Island could easily exceed what they get from Beasley which IIRC is about $300K a year (which is NOTHING when you think of how many MILLIONS of hungry people visit the Islands each year!).

I hope that the "Friends of the Islands" will take up this important cause. Only a small window of opportunity exists to put an end to this monopoly!

If action is not taken in the next few months and pressure put on the politicians I can easily see Pam McConnell quietly renewing the contract with Beasley for another another ten years. I see McConnell was already trumpeting the $30K "donation" Beasley gave to the Centre Island Zoo.

If doing away with the food concession monopoly (license to print money) means the end of the Centreville Amusement park I doubt many people will see this as a big loss. Kids today are so jaded what with Canada's Wonderland that I doubt that many find this park entertaining.

 

[Peepers]

Just adding to my last post here is a sample Menu for Beasley's "Carousel Restaurant"

http://www.centreisland.ca/images/restaurants/Carousel_Menu_April_27.pdf

Onion Rings: $7.00!

A can of pop : $3.00!

A Vegetable Spring Roll served with Thai sauce : $8.00!

Why have the citizens of Toronto put up with this massive RIP-OFF for all these years?

Check out the pathetic "attractions" : http://www.centreisland.ca/rides-and-attractions.aspx

Many families that visit the Islands are low-income - for them the Islands are their only refuge from the city (they don't have cottage's in the Muskoka's to escape to). How can they afford these prices?

 

[themarc]

My biggest pet-peeve when it comes to the Toronto Islands is the fact that a virtual monopoly on ALL food concessions has for decades been granted to Beasley Amusements - This is the company that operates the rinky-dink amusement park "Centreville" I think only a couple of establishments on Wards Island and the RCYC are exempt from this monopoly.

What this means is that - unless you pack a lunch and bring your own cooler - you are held hostage to the rip-off food prices of Beasley Amusements once you step off the ferry.

It's been a few years since I was over there but if I recall a bottle of water was close to $3 ! The food options were ridiculously over-priced and of horrible quality.

A ten year contract renewal with Beasley was signed back in 2002:

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/2001/agendas/committees/edp/edp010329/agenda.pdf

This year a one year extension was granted to Beasley with the intent that an RFP will be issued for a new long term contract beginning January 2013.

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2011/mm/bgrd/backgroundfile-42497.pdf

What this means is we NOW have an opportunity to put an end - once and fall all - to the granting of a food concession monopoly on the Islands!

The Toronto Islands should be wide open to food and drink competition. For example food trucks and hot dog stands should be allowed to ply their trade on the Islands in exchange to paying a licence fee.

In addition to food trucks and hot dogs stands - I would open up locations along the shoreline for restaurant operators to build stand-alone licensed restaurants with patio's overlooking the city skyline. Restaurants would have to conform to strict architectural guidelines so that they fit in with the character of the Islands. The stand-alone restaurants could have their own docking facilities allowing them to ferry customers from the mainland as part of a Dinner-Cruise package.

Not one company would have a monopoly on food and drink and they would compete against each other on the basis of price and quality.

The revenue that the City could realize by having numerous food operators on the Island could easily exceed what they get from Beasley which IIRC is about $300K a year (which is NOTHING when you think of how many MILLIONS of hungry people visit the Islands each year!).

I hope that the "Friends of the Islands" will take up this important cause. Only a small window of opportunity exists to put an end to this monopoly!

If action is not taken in the next few months and pressure put on the politicians I can easily see Pam McConnell quietly renewing the contract with Beasley for another another ten years. I see McConnell was already trumpeting the $30K "donation" Beasley gave to the Centre Island Zoo.

If doing away with the food concession monopoly (license to print money) means the end of the Centreville Amusement park I doubt many people will see this as a big loss. Kids today are so jaded what with Canada's Wonderland that I doubt that many find this park entertaining.

Actually "FOTI" is aware of this situation and are working to try and get the concession opportunities opened up. I will add that I do know that at least one city manager is currently against renewing the entire island concession rights to any one single supplier - be that Beasely Amusements or not...

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

My biggest pet-peeve when it comes to the Toronto Islands is the fact that a virtual monopoly on ALL food concessions has for decades been granted to Beasley Amusements - This is the company that operates the rinky-dink amusement park "Centreville" I think only a couple of establishments on Wards Island and the RCYC are exempt from this monopoly.

Agreed, one company should not have a monopoly on food & drink, but isn't there a Pizza Pizza at the south end of Centre Island by the Pier along with a hamburger & hotdog stand? Then there's also the cafe on the boardwalk on Ward's Island, I think I'm missing something else too.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Agreed, one company should not have a monopoly on food & drink, but isn't there a Pizza Pizza at the south end of Centre Island by the Pier along with a hamburger & hotdog stand? Then there's also the cafe on the boardwalk on Ward's Island, I think I'm missing something else too.

Chain stores... bah!

 

[Peepers]

Agreed, one company should not have a monopoly on food & drink, but isn't there a Pizza Pizza at the south end of Centre Island by the Pier along with a hamburger & hotdog stand? Then there's also the cafe on the boardwalk on Ward's Island, I think I'm missing something else too.

The Pizza Pizza is actually owned by Beasley as are the overpriced Hamburger and Hot-dog stands.

The Rectory Cafe on Wards Island is independently owned. It is more higher end food although probably better than wasting money on the overpriced garbage being sold by Beasley.

 

[Peepers]

Actually "FOTI" is aware of this situation and are working to try and get the concession opportunities opened up. I will add that I do know that at least one city manager is currently against renewing the entire island concession rights to any one single supplier - be that Beasely Amusements or not...

I am glad to hear that this is on your radar screen. The public at large needs to be made aware of what is going on so that action can be taken to stop the granting of another 10 year food concession monopoly on the Island's. I suspect that most visitors to the Island's have no clue that the reason the food and drink is so expensive is because a monopoly was granted to one company and that they are being gouged.

This is similar to the situation at the Beaches where a 20 year contract was awarded to "Tuggs Entertainment" - operator of the "Boardwalk Cafe" granting them exclusive food concessions along the boardwalk.

In that case the public at large only became aware AFTER the contract was signed and it was too late to do anything about it. The ensuing controversy cost local Councillor Sandra Bussin her job. Bussin had received significant campaign funds from the family that owns Tuggs.

I hope in the case of the Islands that public opposition will get activated before it is too late. I hope that this doesn't end up with Pam McConnell quietly extending the contract with Beasley for another 10 or 20 years!

 

[W. K. Lis]

I am glad to hear that this is on your radar screen. The public at large needs to be made aware of what is going on so that action can be taken to stop the granting of another 10 year food concession monopoly on the Island's. I suspect that most visitors to the Island's have no clue that the reason the food and drink is so expensive is because a monopoly was granted to one company and that they are being gouged.

This is similar to the situation at the Beaches where a 20 year contract was awarded to "Tuggs Entertainment" - operator of the "Boardwalk Cafe" granting them exclusive food concessions along the boardwalk.

In that case the public at large only became aware AFTER the contract was signed and it was too late to do anything about it. The ensuing controversy cost local Councillor Sandra Bussin her job. Bussin had received significant campaign funds from the family that owns Tuggs.

I hope in the case of the Islands that public opposition will get activated before it is too late. I hope that this doesn't end up with Pam McConnell quietly extending the contract with Beasley for another 10 or 20 years!

The real trouble is that the landlord (AKA the city) would prefer to get the highest rent possible (helps the "taxpayer" in the end). So the highest bidder gets it. Of course, to pay for the highest bid, the prices of the foods have to be higher.

Same for any commercial space, and usually the chain stores are able to pay for the higher rents.

 

[Peepers]

The real trouble is that the landlord (AKA the city) would prefer to get the highest rent possible (helps the "taxpayer" in the end). So the highest bidder gets it. Of course, to pay for the highest bid, the prices of the foods have to be higher.

Same for any commercial space, and usually the chain stores are able to pay for the higher rents.

This of course is the rationale that they use for awarding a monopoly to one company but in reality the city could realize more revenue by opening up the Islands to a number of competing food venues - each of which would pay a special licensing or leasing fee to the city.

The city actually receives a pittance from Beasley. When the contract was last renewed it was noted that the minimum rent was just $375K a year and that only once had the city received more than this amount when they received $386K ! (see PDF link).

To put these figures into perspective, the city pays Bill Blair more than $320K per year!

The money that the city receives in exchange for granting a virtual monopoly on all food concessions serving the MILLIONS of visitors to the Islands each year is just a little more than what we pay Bill Blair each year!

Something is seriously wrong with this picture

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/2002/agendas/committees/edp/edp020327/it008.pdf

 

[themarc]

FOTI is currently aware of two other groups that wish to bid on the concession opportunity on the Toronto Island - one of which is MUCH larger than Beasely and would likely win. FOTI is encouraging others to come forward as we believe the best situation for the Island would be to have better selection and multiple vendors. If you'd like more information on how to join the process inbox me.

 

[the lemur]

Ford promised access from Cherry Beach to the islands in his electoral campaign - at least for bicycles (presumably he doesn't oppose pedestrians). Perhaps the rest of council could encourage him to keep this one promise.

Are you talking about his cycling map? The one that suggested we could bike from the mainland to one end of the island, across the island and back onto the mainland?