Picture Toronto waterfront without an Island airport

Instead of dithering over whether to permit jets on the Lake Ontario gem that is Toronto Island, let’s do the right thing and remove that airport altogether.

Shut it down, restore it to the parkland it was many decades ago and have Robert Deluce run his airline where it should be: Toronto International, aka, Pearson airport.

With the new high-speed rail connection coming online in the midst of all the other construction for the PanAm Games, it’s soon to be a mere 15-minute ride from Downtown to Toronto International.

An oft-quoted excuse for a “needed” Island airport is helicopter ambulance uses. In reality there are ample Downtown hospital rooftops where helicopter ambulances can operate.

How stupid and corrupt are we? Toronto was gifted with a magnificent waterfront by the feds and city hall immediately built condos all along that waterfront. A world War II training airport on the Island, thanks to shipping magnate and then- PM Paul Martin – aided by a fellow Liberal . MP Dennis “Chairman” Mils – proceeded to create the nation’s tiniest port authority.

Nearly the only thing coming in, except perhaps for the occasional boatload of road salt, sand and gravel, was shiploads of sugar for the refinery on Queens Quay.

But they had grander ideas. Along with another rich guy, Robert Deluce, Martin and Mils deemed the sleepy Island airport would be the throbbing heart and oligarchic soul of the utterly unnecessary tax-money-absorbing miniature port authority.

Think of the $100 million or more we tax-payers would still have to spend just to finish that idiotic tunnel which is once again (mercifully?) stalled. That’s over and above the tens of millions already pissed away to get it where it (thankfully) isn’t.

Think of a waterfront where you could sit in a lovely park listening to a summer concert uninterrupted by the “whisper” of jet planes zooming past every few minutes.

Think of gridlocked taxis and their competitive drivers no longer present on Queens Quay to endanger school children and salt the air with their arguments and jostling for position.

Picture the terminal building used for community purposes. This can be done. So let’s undo it!

Plant over the Island airport and quit the tunnel dig. Repair what bad councils have imposed on us.

Don’t just think “No Jets.” Think: “No Island Airport!” It can be done!