Condo Living

February 6, 2024 Published by Toronto and Area Chapter - By James Russell

Condo Of The Year: One York Quay

From the Winter 2023 issue of CCI Toronto Condovoice Magazine.

The Resident's Level Of Engagement And Commitment To Their Community And Their Neighbourhood Is Beyond Impressive

Registered on January 25, 1991, the twin towers, thirty-nine and forty floors respectively, that make up One York Quay, were Canadian financier and visionary real estate developer Robert Campeau's swan song after building - from east to west - the Harbour Castle Hotel, 33, 55, and 65 Queens Quay. Sadly, in 2001, the company that bore his name declared bankruptcy, ten years after completing One York Quay, the most western jewel in his cluster of spectacular accomplishments, all perched along the shore of Lake Ontario's inner harbour.

The amenities Mr. Campeau graced One York Quay exceed those of his three previous condo towers and include: state-of-the-art fitness and weight rooms, squash courts, sauna, party room, business centre, library, billiards, seven guest suites, lush outdoor space with private BBQ areas, unique freshwater, part indoor and part outdoor, swimming pool, restaurant, and a private shuttle bus service.

Yes, One York Quay and its attached neighbours, which make up the Harbour Square community, enjoy a free, private bus service that delivers and picks up residents, on selected days, to and from such destinations as China Town, the Eaton Centre, St. Lawrence Market, Canadian Tire and University Avenue's 'Hospital Row'.

One York Quay's extensive range of yearly activities include an International Women’s Day party, karaoke nights, trivia nights, wine tastings, Christmas caroling, Jingle and Mingle Christmas party, children and adult movie nights, Annual Halloween 'Spooktacular', sporting event watch parties, DJ dance parties, Annual 'Summertime in BBQ' event, Yearly Volunteer Appreciation Gala, and their popular New Year's Eve dinner and party, all of which, says Scot Milroy, the Board's Secretary, "exemplify the dedication of the community to creating meaningful connections and making a positive impact."

Mariam Silot, the Board's Vice President, moved to the building in 2012 and joined the Board in 2015. "It's a great community with lots of great people," she says of what attracted her to the building and why she stays. "One York Quay truly boasts an engaged and happy community, evident from the owners and residents who choose to return after leaving," adds Scot. M.

Although people's lives sometimes drift toward stagnation when living in large vertical neighbourhoods, One York Quay's resident's level of engagement and commitment to their community and their neighbourhood and beyond is impressive as they contribute their time and energy to charities such as The Parkdale Community Food Bank, The York Quay Neighbourhood Association, the Waterfront B.I.A.; Nellie's Shelter, Education and Advocacy for Women and Children; Scott Mission; Toronto Fire Food and Toy Drives; and Horizons for Youth Shelter.

In December 2021, when residents learned that the library of a soon-to-open public school in the Philippines was painfully bare, the residents of One York Quay organised a massive book donation drive. The books, board games and stuffed toys contributed by the Harbour Square community (33, 55, and 65 Queens Quay) filled eleven boxes, with each box costing approximately a hundred-and-twenty-dollars to ship. The grateful staff and students of the school created a plaque thanking the 'Harbour Square Family'.

One York Quay's seven-member Board is made up of Dr. Amitabha (Amit) Gupta, President; Miri am Silot, Vice President; Amr Bannis, Treasurer; Scot Milroy, Secretary and Directors: Dr. Margarete Akens, Robert Gillies and Jaime Chua. Jaime, the newest member of the board, says with pride, "I love the building. Great location and great community."

Like most Boards their size, "We don't always have a consensus" says Amit who adds, "What we do is respect each other's voices. We can have fairly heated debates, and yet, come to a conclusion." Miriam adds, "we're here representing the voters (owners), so we have to do what's best for the community."

The Board and management communicate with residents via their well-attended AGMs, Town Halls, issue-specific Info Meetings, their BuildingLink website, paper handouts, and the digital notice boards in each of their eight (four per tower) passenger elevators. The Board also actively participates in community WhatsApp, FaceBook and Google groups. Additionally, the Board and management use communication tools such as Survey Monkey, as well as hard copy materials to obtain resident's feedback and input. The Board also relies on One York Quay's many resident's committees for input and guidance. Those committees include:

• Budget
• Social, Community and Family
• Restaurant
• Energy/Green
• Health Club
• Joint Shared Services
• Joint Security
• Communication
• and their Finance and Reserve Fund Study Committee

Although the practice was suspended during the pandemic, their AGM's always included: ice-breaker activities, a pre-meeting social time, post-meeting cocktails and a social hour.

Crucial to One York Quay's success is their Senior Condominium Manager Lubko Belej. His wealth of experience and management skill has played a huge role in One York Quay winning this year's Condominium of the Year award. Lubko is himself no stranger to excellence as he was the winner of Del Property Management's prestigious Manager of the Year Award in 2022. He and his staff of three manage the corporation's operations, concierge, and maintenance teams.

"This Board has been very enjoyable to work with. There are seven Board members, so it is different than most condominiums. Overall it has been great. They respect me and the other management staff, they ask for my input on many items and we have a very good working relationship that is professional and respectful," says Lubko.

Yet another vital component in One York Quay's success has been their team of long-serving and loyal employees, and although in the early days of the corporation, staffing was contracted out, it didn't take long for the Board to realize that cultivating a 'family' was the key to a healthy and happy condominium community. Now their entire staff of thirty-seven: nineteen who work security; eleven in housekeeping; and seven in maintenance, are employees of the corporation and valued members of the 'family': Many of their staff have served for decades, including:

• Mohan Skikantan, Concierge, 23 years.
• Jordan Watt, Assistant Security Manager, 20 years.
• Sam Thiyagalingam, Housekeeping, 20 years.
• Grace Solar, Assistant Housekeeping, 19 years.
• Margaridae Linhares, Housekeeping, 30 years.
• Javier Calderon, Maintenance Manager, 34 years.
  and many more long-serving members of staff, who residents have come to know on a first name basis and trust. "This (One York Quay) is my second family." says Jordon.

"Staff have consistently delivered outstanding service to our owners and residents in an older building that has been in operation since 1991. Their dedication and commitment to maintaining the highest standards have played a pivotal role in making One York Quay an enviable and sought after community in which to reside," says Treasurer, Scot Milroy.

The Great Flood of 2017, when Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River rose to record breaking levels, presented a challenge not only for the Board and management of One York Quay, but their neighbouring buildings and even the Toronto Islands. Lake water cascaded into One York Quay's parking garage and submerged driveways and much of the area surrounding their building. The Board and management took swift action and hired engineers and hydologists, specialists who study how water interacts with the earth's crust, to flood-proof their building. With the work successfully completed, the Board and management are now confident that One York Quay is fully prepared should Lake Ontario rise yet again above expected levels, either due to climate change or "water supply conditions" as a subsequent government report concluded.

Over the recent years, One York Quay's other successfully completed projects have included:

• The installation of new Carrier energy-efficient chillers, which have resulted in enhanced energy efficiency and the reduction of their environmental footprint.
• Window replacements and curtain wall repairs in order to ensure protection from future leaks and weathering of each tower’s facade.
• The installation of infrastructure to support sixty, Level-2 EV charging stations.
• Their exclusive licensed restaurant with bar and lounge with a recently renovated kitchen.
• The successful commencement of their four-stage, multi-year, unit-byunit domestic water-pipe replacement and water zone upgrade project, which is currently underway. Says Amir,"The first stage was very successful." Margarete, who participated in coordinating the work, adds, "The company doing the work is very organised, very clean, very effective and we did not have any major complaints about the process."
• The installation of motion detected light switches, LED light fixtures in all areas.
• Installation of super-efficient water valves that remove air from the city water supply to lower consumption.

Upcoming projects include:

• Replacement of the fan coil units in all eight-hundred-and-twelve residences and common areas with new energy efficient units.
• Replacing the original windows with efficient models.
• And a complete hallway renovation that will include lighting, wall paper and carpeting.

'Family' is one of the strongest bonds in human nature, second only to the bond between a mother and her child. And it is the Board's, management's, employees', and resident's deliberate and steadfast commitment to fostering and maintaining their family that represents, as their Condominium of the Year application states, "the very definition of an award-winning and well-run condominium community."

Congratulations to the One York Quay family.

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James Russell
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