CityNews.ca looks at some issues surrounding expanding operations at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport in a three-part series. 

Part 1: Environment & Health Concerns Raised As Operations Set To Increase At Island Airport

Part 2: Debate Over Public Consultation On Island Airport Operations

As the Toronto Port Authority prepares to potentially double the number of flights at the island airport some local residents worry the already busy two-lane road that leads to the terminal won’t be able to safely accommodate any more traffic.

The new $50 million terminal at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport opened to passengers Sunday as the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) reaches out to the market looking for more commercial carriers to use the downtown runways. The TPA announced last December it intends to add an additional 42 to 92 slots – nearly doubling the amount of takeoffs and landings.

Dozens of taxis queue along the foot of Bathurst Street, or Eireann Quay, at what has become one of the city’s largest taxi stands.

The TPA said it has been working with the city to improve TTC links with its ferry dock, in an effort to ease traffic congestion in the area. Porter Airlines also offers free shuttle service from the Royal York hotel to the ferry terminal.

“When there are complaints we deal with them and if there’s a way to minimize traffic, it’s to put people on public transit,” TPA President and CEO Geoff Wilson said. “That’s what we’re for, we’re all for public transit and connectivity to public transit.”

The federal agency that runs the airport is also looking to secure a public-private partnership to build a pedestrian tunnel under the Western Gap. More than one million travelers are expected to move through the downtown airport in 2010. The TPA says the plan will include a "rigorous pubic consultation process."

Hundreds of children live, play and attend classes in the area that directly surrounds the airport ferry dock. The Harbourfront Community Centre (HCC), which houses the Waterfront elementary school and a high school, sits on the east side of Eireann Quay, at Bathurst and Queen's Quay. Little Norway Park, with its wading pool and playground, sits on the west side and shares a metal fence with the ferry dock.

 “[There are] 50 taxis lined up all the time and there are almost a dozen or more taxis lining up illegally on the curb,” local parent Nancy Wo said. “They’re idling more than a couple of minutes … so we, as parents, are concerned and very worried because what will be the long-term impact on the health … of our children that live here?”

She and other residents made deputations at a Toronto Board of Health meeting in January.

Local city councillor Adam Vaughan claims taxis are racing around, parking on school property and cab drivers are “sometimes going to the bathroom" on community centre property.

“It’s a revolting situation and the Port Authority has got to get it under control,” he said.

“The taxis are parking illegally. I’ve caught them driving through the park. They’re going to hit a kid sooner or later.”

Nadira Persaud, principal of the Waterfront School, said traffic is a concern and she'd like to see speed bumps installed on the road.

“We are communicating to others that we are concerned about increased vehicular traffic and we want to do our part,” she said.

A crossing guard ushers kids across the busy intersection of Queen’s Quay and Bathurst.

“As for redesigning roads or extra enforcement programs, no, there’s nothing of that yet,” 14 Division Traffic Sgt. Barry White said. “Nothing has come down asking us to do it and looking at the traffic flow it doesn’t warrant anything extra.”

The TPA recently put a paid-duty officer in the area during peak times when children are traveling to and from school.

The agency has an idea of how it can accommodate extra vehicles, but said it doesn’t plan to move forward on it right now. Wilson said the federal agency is fighting to protect its right to the parcel of land where the Canadian Malting silos sit, just north of Ireland Park (pictured below). The TPA says two agreements -- one signed in 1986 and another inked in 1990 -- give it the right to construct a 400-vehicle covered parking garage to service the airport.

“At some point in the future it might make sense for me to do that, but I’d do that in consultation with the city,” Wilson said.

Since October, the city has been working to have the silos declared a heritage site - a measure Wilson said requires consultation with the TPA, which has no problem with the heritage designation.

“In the process of designating a heritage site, someone seems to have overlooked the fact that we have some inherent contractual rights on that property and you just can’t trample those,” he said.

Vaughan claims the TPA has no right to the land.

“They think they have the right to do that even though they don’t own the property,” he said. “They want to build a tunnel on the same property, but they don’t own that land either.”

shawne.mckeown@citynews.rogers.com