City of Toronto is understaffed so the safety ladders at HTO deteriorated, and came loose from the dockwall. One safety ladder already fell into the water, despite the fact that we informed the City on numerous occasions over many years. The other two were about to come loose and fall in as well, so our team of volunteers purchased a 1+1/8th inch Crescent wrench to tighten the nuts and bolts, and purchased new nuts to double-up and save the remaining two ladders from falling in, thus saving Toronto's only WALLadders (Wheelchair Accessible Long Ladders).
A number of us with disabilities can't drive or ride a bicycle and have difficulty with public transit, and there are no other accessible beaches in downtown Toronto. We were told there is an accessible beach at Woodbine, but the wheelchair ramp only goes within about 30m of the water's edge, so a person in a wheelchair, rollator walker, or palsy walker can't safely get to the water. Many of us swim and paddle and do other water-based activities at HTO Beach because it is presently Toronto's only beach that is accessible all the way to the water's edge.
Toronto used to have water access at Ontario Place. There used to be a fully accessible forest and beach, accessible along its entire length, as well as accessibility ramps going all the way down into the water at Ontario Place. This place was designed as a cottage for people without cottages. The Government decided to chop down more than 1500 mature trees, and clearcut the entire forest under cover of darkness, in one night, so nobody would witness this act. The proposed plans for Ontario Place are unsafe with no safety ladders along the dockwalls, and only one small beach located next to by the highway beside a combined sewer outfall. This location will also be unsafe due to its facing into prevailing winds. Moreover, it is already seeing construction delays and we need a safe place to swim and use small human-powered watercraft now.
Other cities around the world, including Kingston Ontario, have safe urban swim
areas, like Breakwater Park · No lifeguard on duty - SWIM AT OWN RISK.
We should have something similar at HTO Beach, with springboards and a jumping platform,
and a motorboat exclusion zone.
Safety first! Never swim alone! If you do choose to enter the water, whether to do safety-drills,
practice water safety, etc., always wear or use nearby a towboat or rowfloat to ensure safe
visibility to passing motorboats.
Toronto is the capital city of Ontario which is home to Lake Superior,
the world's largest (by surface area) freshwater lake. It holds about 1/10th of the entire world's
freshwater supply and our Great Lakes hold 21% (more than 1/5th) of the world's
freshwater (85% of North America's).
Toronto is the largest city on the Great Lakes, so it is clearly the freshwater capital of the world. We call
upon City of Toronto to lead by example, and demonstrate freshwater stewardship with a committment to
water safety.
We used to conduct research at Ontario Place, former home of Hydraulikos&trade Research Lab, and TeachBeach&trade, but now that Ontario Place is being sold to a foreign corporation for profit, we are relocating this research effort at HTO Beach, which we informally know as HTO University.
Sign our petition for a motorboat exclusion zone around HTO Beach: https://chng.it/LmCtH864wQ