Story and photos by Andrew H. Cline
On September 17th the GTAA held it’s first annual family-friendly Community Day ‘Street Festival’ for it’s airport community partners and families at the Central Deice Facility. It ran from 10:00 – 15:00 and was an incredibly well organized event which reached out to members of YYZ tenant airlines, businesses, and support agencies and their families. Although it was not widely publicized to the public, rather within the airport community, several thousand people attended and shared an excellent assortment of activities. Aircraft recognition and airport trivia games, face painting, and a jumping castle for the kids were a big hits. Displays of the Falcon Environmental birds, and Customs and Border Services and Agricultural dogs were also popular. A large stage was set up with local dance and musical acts entertaining throughout the event. Informative displays by various airport agencies and businesses educated anyone who cared to listen about Pearson operations. Our Peel Regional Police Liasion Cst. Jeff Sharp manned the PRP display, and was giving children rides on their three-wheel machine used to patrol the Terminal. Excellent food was catered by several restaurants that operate in the terminals, serving an excellent variety from massive burgers with a full array of fixings, to Indian tiki on rice, all at very reasonable prices.
Only two aircraft were on display at the event: a FEDEX Boeoing 757 which was carrying out tours inside, and had a huge lineup, and a KLM Airbus A330 which joined the static display after it disembarked it’s passengers and readied for the outbound flight. Despite this, all manner of ground support equipment was on display from a large cross section of airport’s companies. With Runway 05/23 closed for maintenance, the active runways were 33R for takeoffs and the 06R for landings which meant that all movements during the event passed the CDF, much to the delight of the YYZ Airport Watch members, both spotters and photographers alike. Although the weather was cool and generally overcast, the sun did make a few tactical appearances which pleased the photographers in the crowd. Perhaps the most popular activity with our people was the airside bus tour which lasted 1/2 hour and ran from CDF on fifth Line Road along echo taxiway to the infield terminal, then back and under the tunnel past terminal 3 and the Air Canada Hangars to Vista Cargo. It then turned around and went back to Terminal One to go through it past a baggage handling area and out to the International side of the Hammerhead. It then returned to the tunnel and back to CDF. The bus tour was personally narrated by our good friend Russ Cruikshank with GTAA Corporate Affairs & Communications .
Several YYZAW members kindly volunteered to help GTAA with security including Reverend Ken Keen and Paul Thacker. YYZAW manned a table, staffed by members of the board: Andy Cline, Steve Cos, Brian Dunn, Derek Horsey and George Trussell. A number of other members dropped by to offer their support and Chris Cavalier kindly left a photo album of his Pearson photography to help with our display. Steve had his radar box running and it garnered alot of interest. A good number of people who did not previoulsy know about us were briefed, and two have applied to become members. The event, in many ways similar to the Peel Regional Police BBQ in the spring, provided an excellent opportunity to meet the people who help keep Pearson running smoothly. All in all it was a well attended and organized event, and about 50 YYZAW members attended, and most wore their gear to help give us a high profile. We wish to thank GTAA for an excellent day, and sincerely hope it becomes an annual event!
