Beach Triangle Residents Association
Neighbourhood News and Information
The Beach Triangle Residents Association, Toronto, Ontario
Beach Triangle Residents Association AGM: Soon 25 Years Old and Still Going Strong
By Ingrid Furtado and John Ellis
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This article was originally published in the Winter 2009 edition of the Triangle Topics newsletter.
The Beach Triangle Residents Association (BTRA) enjoyed a good turnout for their Annual General Meeting held in the Corpus Christi Church Meeting Room on Wednesday, June 3rd. President Ingrid Furtado, supported by Committee Chairs, reported a busy year highlighted by the following activities:
Neighbourhood
- Supported a Triangle-wide FunFest at Corpus Christi Church parking lot, after regretfully withdrawing sponsorship of the annual Triangle Lawn Sale, run for more than twenty years, due to increasing promotion cost and waning resident support.
- Opposed TTC Rush-Hour proposals, and suggested alternatives.
- Sought support for a rejuvenated Neighbourhood Watch program.
- Developed areas of concern and closely monitored a proposed six-storey condominium development at Queen and Rainsford.
- Supported a poll regarding a three-hour parking limit.
- Monitored the impact of the Jazz Festival.
- Maintained committees on Community Liaison, Environment, Forestry, Newsletter, Police Liaison, and Zoning.
- Maintained and updated the BTRA Web Site. Issued two editions of the Triangle Topics newsletter, featuring reports on area history and items of interest to the community, with costs covered through advertising revenue.
- Began work on BTRA History to commemorate the 25th Anniversary coming up in 2010.
Environment
- Participated in Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation planning, in a committee examining Gardiner Expressway options and planning meetings for development of Lake Ontario Park.
- Participated in presentations by Live Green Toronto on initiatives to improve energy efficiency and reduce air pollution.
- Attended a major public meeting on the Wind Farm proposed offshore from Balmy Beach to the Bluffs, and participated in subsequent debate.
- Monitored plans for Pumphouse Park and Ashbridges Bay landscaping.
- Monitored the work of the Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant Neighbourhood Liaison Committee.
- Closely monitored all environmental issues, including the environmental effects of the Portlands Energy Centre, and supported the city's Right To Know By-law.
Homeowners
- Encouraged support for fair property assessment.
Affiliation
- Supported the Woodbine Park, Balmy Beach, Kew Beach, Toronto Beach East (T-BERA), and Beach Lakefront Neighbourhood resident associations and Confederation of Resident Ratepayer Associations (CORRA).
- Supported and met with the Beach Business Improvement Association.
Furtado commented on the reasons the BTRA continues to be effective, where other organizations have struggled:
- Defining issues: First, it was the serious negative impact of the racetrack and then concerns about the Greenwood Teletheatre that caused residents to band together. Today, it is increasingly about the environment, protecting and enhancing the neighbourhood.
- Core Veterans: People who "know the ropes" and care enough to continue to volunteer, sharing their expertise and wealth of knowledge.
- New blood: People with new skills and enthusiasm offer fresh and expanded perspective.
- A sense of community: The Triangle Topics newsletter, with neighbourhood business support, Triangle history reports and coverage of executive activity is a major community-relations builder. The Web Site has attracted attention from residents who prefer to "surf the net". Finally, there's the community-relations building power of FunFest.
Ms Furtado thanked her colleagues on the Executive for their support in BTRA endeavours. On behalf of the entire executive, she also thanked Triangle residents for their interest, feedback and support.
Elected to the 2009-2010 Board of Directors were Chris Blythe, John Ellis, Ingrid Furtado, Edythe Gerrard, Hans Looije, Terra McKenna, Keith Schegili-Roberts, Layton Stewart, and David Windrim.
Guest speaker was Mike Holm of Boss Solar, a Triangle Resident, who spoke on the considerable cost savings to the homeowner and environmental benefits to be realized from adding solar electricity generation and solar water heating. He also commented on the grants and cost benefits now available through all levels of government.
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