Like many Torontonians, Roger Brook is drawn to Lake Ontario’s shoreline where he rides his bike, rollerblades or, since he has no car, hoists his kayak on his bike.

Ideally, Brook would like to walk or cycle the full length of the shoreline right beside the water’s edge. But there are several spots on the western waterfront where private clubs, which lease property from the city, impede his progress.

At these points, cyclists and pedestrians are pushed off the shoreline and find they are hard by six lanes of traffic on Lake Shore Blvd. W.

Do we need access to every metre of Toronto’s 46-kilometre shoreline? It stretches from Etobicoke Creek to the Rouge River and includes rocky bays, sandy beaches, still active industry, parking lots, private houses and clubs.

Brook and others in the Parkdale and High Park neighbourhoods say we should. Private interests have to give way to the greater public good, they say.

“It does bother me that some of these places are fenced off. I don’t think people should have to go around,” says Brook, who is a Montessori teacher. “I’d like to see public access all the way across the waterfront.”

The city of Toronto has also made it clear it wants a thoroughly accessible shoreline. In its view, the waterfront and the lake belong the people.

The 2009 Western Waterfront Master Plan, the most recent of several city documents on improving the lakeshore, says that a boardwalk should run along the water’s edge from the Humber River to Ontario Place, “including in front of the various facilities that today enjoy unrestricted private access to the water.”

The Boulevard Club is one of those private places. The club, which sits close to the lake, occupies fewer than 300 metres of shoreline, says Mike Babin, the president of the club’s board of directors.

“We think it’s a very small piece of a very large waterfront.”

The Martin Goodman Trail, which runs on the north side of the club along Lake Shore Blvd. W., is “perfectly good” and foot and cycling traffic “nicely flow around the club” he says.

The city is allowed to ask for public access when the club’s lease comes up for renewal — not until 2029 — or when the 107-year-old club proposes substantial changes to its buildings, something called a site plan application.

When the club applied this year to replace a nearly windowless 80-year old building that was subject to flooding with a new showpiece, west-end Councillor Gord Perks saw a chance to push for a public pathway in front of the club as a condition of site plan approval. The new building’s footprint is somewhat larger than the existing building.

The negotiations were “tough but respectful” Perks says. In the end, approvals were not linked to increased public access.

“If people want to pay extra to be somewhere absolutely private, they just can’t do it in a way that excludes people from access to Lake Ontario,” he says. “Like many places in the world, we have recognized that the waterfront is common property.”

Walking the club’s narrow lakeside path where the dock wall drops 1.3 metres down to the lake, it’s difficult to picture pedestrians walking there, while allowing club members privacy. Among the proposals are cantilevered boardwalks, floating boardwalks, a fence on both sides of the path and locked gates to the boats.

“One of the reasons people join is because there are no fences,” says Babin.

Pedestrians on a public walkway would pass the club’s swimming pool, sunbathing area and dining patio. “Members have some expectation of modesty and privacy and to have people staring at you while sunbathing reduces the desirability of the club.”

The club, where initiation fees for a couple are $22,500 and annual dues are around $3,000, also argues for the safety of children in summer camps and security of boats. “Uncontrolled access by the public doesn’t work,” Babin says, as he watches camp kids launch small sailboats.

“It’s a great objective, but ideals have to be tempered with reality.”

Babin argues that the club is not “elitist” — its 4,000 members include secretaries, teachers and electricians, many living nearby in Parkdale and High Park, he says. The club contributes to local schools and community groups, and their summer camps are open to all. And the club has offered to improve the landscape along Dowling Beach next door to make it more appealing to public users.

Even though he’d like to see public access “tomorrow,” Perks says, “I want them to enjoy the use of their land. I really do.”

While there is not a lot of community pressure for full access, he says there are “community aspirations.” He’s willing to give the club time to get into the mindset of public walkways along its docks.

It calls for creative thinking.

“People have a hard time imagining something they haven’t experienced . . . but once they are on a meandering trail on the water’s edge, they will never go back.”

Across from Dowling Beach, to the east of the Boulevard Club, the 133-year-old Toronto Sailing and Canoe Club is under similar pressure, possibly more so since it is now in lease renewal negotiations with the city.

“This is a working persons’ club,” says club commodore Bob Stevenson. The annual membership is $550, but you can crew a boat for $50 a year; the place is full of children in summer sailing school.

The club proposes a public path on its north side, high above its clubhouse, docks and boat launches, where pedestrians would have lake views and their passage would not interfere with the club and sailing school.

“If they wanted to put something across the front of the club, I don’t know how we would continue to exist,” Stevenson says. “The city is the landlord, and we have very few rights, but we are still providing a point of access to the lake.”

Both clubs say they risk losing members if they are forced to provide public access in front of their docks.

But planner Lynda Macdonald says the city doesn’t want the recreational clubs to move but to be open to accommodating change. (She adds the city does not expect public access where there are industries such as Redpath Sugar on the waterfront.) The Western Waterfront Master Plan also says that a boardwalk shouldn’t interfere with the operation and “economic viability” of the clubs.

“Privacy is not necessarily a right,” she says.

Among the ways of improving views of the lake: take down screens on the Boulevard Club tennis courts so passersby can at least see through to the water.

As for children’s safety, she says, thousands of children are cared for in summer camps all across the city in public places, including Harbourfront.

Elsewhere on the waterfront, other clubs, including the Balmy Beach Club in the east end and the Lakeshore Yacht Club in Etobicoke, have boardwalks in front of their club houses.

Dirk Townsend is a member of the Toronto Sailing and Canoe Club, and is also a founder of the Parkdale Residents Association, one of the community groups advocating for increased waterfront access. He’s sensitive to the balance between the history of the clubs, including the nearby Argonaut Rowing Club, their value to the community and public access.

Most people don’t even know that full access is called for in the Western Waterfront Master Plan, he adds.

“We live in a country with many lakes and much private property. All the private clubs on the waterfront need to do is come to a good compromise with their landlord and the citizens of Toronto. I’d love to see it happen.”

Another west-end resident, David Oleson, an architect who lives on King St. W. with fine views of the lake, says his hope for full access to the waterfront is a matter of principle.

“It’s nothing personal. I think the Boulevard Club is a wonderful institution,” Oleson says.

“But given the evolving city, I would wish that the thinking of people with interests along the stretch of waterfront would evolve as well. We are talking about public ownership.”

Some waterfront pedestrians and cyclists seemed to be of two minds on access to the shoreline. Paula and George Brown, visiting from Guelph, were revelling in their long walk along the waterfront. It didn’t bother them that their view of the water was obscured for short periods. But, as Paula was talking, a cyclist raced by, rang his bell and delivered a rude hand gesture. They were shocked.

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“A (foot) path would be nice. It would give clearance for people on bikes,” she said.

“The whole point of being by the lake is to have a clear site,” says Hosam El Sheik, a Ryerson University engineering student. “There are not that many places (where you can’t see the lake), so to me it is unfair to the members of the club. If I was a member, I wouldn’t like it.”

David White, who usually walks to the lake after work, was part of a High Park-Parkdale group pushing for a comprehensive waterfront plan.

“You’re down there to enjoy the peace and quiet of the water, but as you get to the Boulevard Club you get pushed up tight against the busy Lake Shore Blvd. W. and the Gardiner Expressway. You’re right up against 12 lanes of traffic. If you want to go for a peaceful walk, it’s really jarring.”