The CBC is reporting that Mayor David Miller and residents near the port lands have lost their battle to stop the construction of a new power plant in the area.
The Ontario Power Authority inked a deal last week to purchase power from the Portlands Energy Centre, which will see the construction of a 550-megawatt gas-fired generating station on the shore of Lake Ontario.
The plant’s construction is meant to stop the oft-quoted threat of “rolling blackouts” by 2008. The mayor and residents had hoped for a smaller, greener energy centre, but, as is often the case with waterfront revitalization, it was not meant to be.
Rendering from the Portlands Energy Centre website.
12 comments
You think my kinds grandkids will be talking about the need to bring down the Port Land power plant because it’s vital to waterfront revitalization? This city is frustrating to no end and just when you think progress is happening something like this gets done.
That should have read my KIDS grandkids. 🙂
It’s always the same: everyone wants the power, noone wants the power plant. At least we’re getting it where we’re using it.
Sometimes I wonder what it would be lick to live in a city that isn’t complete and utter shit.
like. not lick. I’ve licked in many other cities.
thick> I’ve been away from Toronto for pretty much two months now and i miss it so terribly. when we’re in the middle of it, we notice all the crappy details, like this power plant. but when you go away, and deal with things in other places, toronto is as utopic as our civic boosters tell us. i will kiss the ground at pearson like the pope next tuesday, i promise.
Shawn,
You’re right. I need to be more happy.
For me, the frustrating thing about Toronto is how much potential it has compared to how little risk our politicians are willing to take to embrace that potential.
This power plant is a perfect example: what the picture above doesn’t make clear is that it will sit on the south side of the Turning Basin, an urban body of water the size of Grenadier Pond. (It’s hard to get a good sense of just how big it is without seeing it in person; it’s along Commissioners St. just east of Carlaw.) The Turning Basin could be the heart of a spectacular Portlands neighbourhood, but that vision looks a lot less likely in the shadow of these smokestacks.
One thing that is rarely discussed in the PEC debate is that the proposed power plant is located almost immediately beside the Ashbridges Bay Sewage Treatment Plant. Having grown up relatively close to the Humber Bay treatment plant, I know that it can get pretty stinky there. The alternative plan (supported by Miller) suggests rebuilding in the Hearn plant. The Miller plan would leave a larger gap between the Hearn and the Ashbridges Bay plant that I guess could be used for housing.
Would you want to live in housing squeezed between a power plant and a sewage treatment plant?
I sure wouldn’t.
While I am equally disappointed with the glacial pace of waterfront revitalization, there is some merit to the PEC. The proposed plant still leaves plenty of room for housing and greener uses on the north and west sides of the port lands, which happen to be where people will want to live.
it blows my mind that the government and all parties involved would insist on building this plant right smack in the middle of a proposed park land when there is so many derelict areas in the city that could be cleaned up by building a plant like this.
that said, i think there is still hope and an opportunity to turn this project to the public’s advantage. as we all know, a big, industrial power plant is not exactly anything to look at. perhaps we can surround the site with high walls and turn them into a rock-climbing centre. or perhaps create a giant concrete canvas for some original graffiti/art. or how about we cover the walls with lots and lots of ivey?
now that we have lost the battle, instead of bitching about it we should focus our energies on how we can somehow make this unsightly project more tolerable. can we turn this con into a pro?
Why the hell is it being accepted to easily by the city: both its politicians and its citizens?
The megawatts can easily be convered by conservation with the smallest amount of seriousness, saving us the cost of the building of it, the fuel, the costs in health care, lost revenue on property values for both homes and businesses already built and to have been built on the reclaimed portlands and area, and property taxes from same.
Wouldn’t you vote for a mayor and council who would take on Ontario and Ottawa as the enemy, and get creative in the fight? If they won’t, who wants to join me sitting in front of the bulldozers? “I’m outraged!” as Ed Broadbent used to say.
WOW Toronto sure does have quite a few tree huggers. Firstly Since last summer Toronto hasn’t produced any of its own electricity. Its the only city in North America to do so. All of its electricty is produced east and west of the city. Now is it fair to have toronto take from them while not getting any of the pollution or in some cases nuclear waste? Its about time that Toronto stop taking from others and start looking after themselves. I was so happy when michigan finally decided to stop taking Toronto’s trash. Toronto doesn’t want to dump trash in its own backyard so they try giving they’re crap to everyone else. Secondly, Ontario should get into renewable energy sources however do you really think that within 2 years it will be capable of sustaining toronto during peak power times?? Probley not. What is Toronto to do when the its not sunny, or windy out??? Not for nothing its getting built in the worst part of toronto right beside the old hearn station which will not be torn down but renovated into a film studio. There is going to be no more “Miller Condo’s” going up. there. Plus that turning basin is disgusting and its right beside some recycling plan. Also the designated park area is south of the plan, not north. Commisioners road is all industrial and i don’t see any new housing communities in its near future even without this new plan being built. Where else would you want it built? The old Hearn station has access to everything you need to build a power plant, gas line, rail, industrial space, and power lines.