Accomplishments

The past year has brought many exciting successes to Lake Ontario's waterfront including a major infusion of public investment, excellent media coverage, new major research contributions, and strengthened and expanded community partnerships.

• Secured $32 million multi-level public investment in the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail and Greenway.
  
  
• Profiled regeneration successes through a six-part Toronto Star series, and articles in Toronto Life, OPPI Journal and Municipal Insights, a cable television series. During the months of the Toronto Star Tour (May to October 2002), the Trust web site was visited by an average of 189,625 times per month peaking in July with 226,935 visitors
  
  
• Completed the 2002 Waterfront Trail User Study-the only comprehensive research that profiles trail users, records their assessments of the amenities and experiences offered along the Waterfront Trail/Greenway and measures direct economic benefits associated with useage.
  
  The Trail and Greenway were the focus of a highly innovative three-year study conducted by Ingrid Stefanovic, Associate Professor with University of Toronto investigating public values toward the waterfront through interviews with Trail end-to-enders and children between the ages of 11-14. Professor Stefanovic has been invited to present her findings to a number of organizations both in Canada and overseas.
  
  
• Created the 2002 Summer's Journey, posting hundreds of waterfront events and activities.
  
  
• Transferred seven major, highly regarded Trust research documents onto the web for easy access and use. The Trust's web site receives 2,000 hits per day.
  
  
• Led community-based processes in Belleville and Kingston to develop waterfront action plans.
  
  
• Established new relationships with municipal tourism and marketing experts and created the Marketing Committee which has completed a marketing plan for the Trail.
  
  
• Invited tourism expert, Melinda Huntley from the newly created Lake Erie Coastal Ohio-an organization working to market the American shore of Lake Erie, to discuss tourism potential of the Waterfront Trail at our spring waterfront partner's meeting.
  
  
• Convened two meetings of the waterfront partners to discuss regeneration priorities.
  
  
• CIBC renews its commitment to the Program by providing $250,000 over 3 years to the Trust.
  
  
• Received funding from Labatt People In Action to fund summer students working on 2002 User Survey.
  
  
• Published seven ezines covering topics related to individual projects on the waterfront.