Sorry to awaken this very old thread but it seems an appropriate place to note the fact that the West Don Lands Committee has decided to dissolve itself. The WDLC was formed over 25 years ago and has encouraged and guided the development of the area and coordinated and encouraged the formation of several neighbourhood associations. The Co-Chairs (Cindy Wilkie and John Campbell) note..
As you may know, after 26 years of advocating for the positive revitalization of the West Don Lands and the central waterfront, the West Don Lands Committee has decided it is time for its advocacy to be continued through the resident associations that have come into being since the WDLC was formed.
Over the past two and a half decades, WDLC members have had the privilege of working with Waterfront Toronto, the Toronto & Region Conservation Authority, City of Toronto departments (Planning, Waterfront Secretariat, Transportation, Transit Expansion, Housing), local councillors, MPPs, MPs and the communities our members represent to build new waterfront precincts that are globally recognized for their design excellence.
When the WDLC came into existence in 1997, the West Don Lands was derelict, the East Bayfront and Keating Channel precincts were not even on any development radar and re-naturalization of the mouth of the Don River was a blue-sky aspiration for the Task Force to Bring Back the Don.
Now in 2024, the West Don Lands is one of Toronto’s most successful new neighbourhoods. With an anticipated 7000+ housing units (~ 20% of which be affordable rental), the award- winning Corktown Common park, a new YMCA, the George Brown College student residence, Anishnawbe Health Toronto’s Health Centre and Indigenous Hub, and a Rekai long term care facility about to break ground, the West Don Lands has met and exceeded the community vision developed by the WDLC in its 1999 planning workshop.
Similarly, the East Bayfront, has been developed under Waterfront Toronto’s leadership, into a new mixed-use waterfront community with a stunning public realm that will be capped off with the innovative new design for Quayside, the Parliament Slip and a new pedestrian bridge to Promontory Park, the new mouth of the Don River and Villiers Island.
West Don Lands Committee members have been active and passionate contributors to all of these developments and couldn’t be prouder of what has been accomplished. In addition to the outstanding physical results, these neighbourhoods are filing up with new residents. And now new resident associations are in place to take up the work that the WDLC started when there was no one to advocate for these neighbourhoods. It is exciting and gratifying to welcome the newest players, the East Waterfront Community Association and the Canary District Neighbourhood Association, who, alongside the Gooderham & Worts Neighbourhood Association, St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association and Corktown Resident and Business Association, will continue to represent and promote the interests of the east downtown and waterfront communities.
As the Co-Chairs it has been an amazing experience to work with the energy, commitment and wisdom of WDLC members, with staff of Waterfront Toronto, the City of Toronto, TRCA and with dedicated elected representatives. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to learn, share, challenge and laugh with you on this journey. We hope you agree that together we have done very good work. And we hope we will continue to see you, each and all, enjoying our neighbourhood and standing together to support our community’s resilience.
Thank you all,
Cynthia Wilkey John Wilson
