When it comes to Sidewalk Labās contentious plans to develop Torontoās Port Lands, Trevor Welsh has no axe to grind. But he does have one to throw.The 40-year-old general manager of BATL Toronto ā an axe throwing facility on Villiers St. ā says improving the Port Lands with public transit, businesses, neighbourhoods and attractions will boost reasons for people to visit the area.Reasons that might include, oh, say, hurling a hatchet at a wooden bullās-eye.āThe more, the merrier,ā said Welsh, as about 100 throwers and fans cheered each time a tossed axe hit targets dead-centre during a Canada-U.S. friendly competition Saturday.āThereās not really a lot down here right now in terms of business (and) itās a big pain to get here by public transit, especially for my staff,ā he continued.Read more:Googleās Sidewalk Labs plans massive expansion to waterfront visionPoliticians react with shock, anger to Googleās sweeping vision for Port LandsOn Thursday, the Star broke the news that Googleās tech giant Sidewalk Labs ā already working on a futuristic eastern waterfront development called Quayside ā was also quietly eyeing a large parcel of the 356 hectare Port Lands. Waterfront Toronto, created by federal, provincial and city governments to oversee the renewal of the cityās waterfront, defines the Port Lands as: Keating Channel/Don River and Lake Shore Blvd. in the north, the Toronto Inner Harbour in the west, Ashbridges Bay in the east and Lake Ontario and Tommy Thompson Park in the south.Welsh said he didnāt know much about the Port Lands until five years ago when BATL Toronto expanded to its second location at 33 Villiers St., near Cherry and Commissioners Sts. He said he was shocked how few businesses existed in the enormous area. āIām like, āWhere am I?, ā he laughed, recalling his first impression of the Port Lands as a āghost to ...
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